


Take It All

by TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryMorons



Category: Overlord - Maruyama Kugane & Related Fandoms
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, F/M, Light Angst, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:33:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 29,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27918283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryMorons/pseuds/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryMorons
Summary: Ainz in spite of his fears still retained most of his humanity. Thats great, he can use that to sort out his emotions between running a whole organization while being hounded by an elf, vampire, demon, and who knows what else. At least it appeals to his sense as a collector. Somewhat. A early re-telling and eventual departure to the Overlord series as I see fit!Crossposted with Fanfiction.net
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30





	1. Back to the Beginning

' _Run! I have to save her!_ ' That was the thoughts of a young woman as she carried a smaller body in her arms. She went as fast as her legs would allow, through the trees and bushes of the forest her village nearby occupied.

Shouts could be heard behind her. It was muffled enough that this woman couldn't make out what exactly what they were saying but she feared that they could have spotted her...

"Enri?" The smaller figure got her attention, causing her to stumble to a stop.

Another shout, this time from behind. "Found you!"

The soldier, one of many who came by and started murdering her friends, neighbors, their own parents right before their eyes, brandished his own cold steel sword to their direction. Enri's blood ran cold. She was going to die right here with her sister in her arms.

Several more of the men came by. One was lightly panting. "Good thing you found them. Last thing we needed would be to report why or how any of them managed to escape."

The one with his sword drawn kept silent. Walking forward he lifted the blade high. Two swings or one good plunge and that would be it. Enri held her sister tight and shut her eyes. ' _Oh if there is a higher power, please, someone, save us..._ '

Everything was silent for a long while.

A very long while. Behind she heard gasps and heavy breathing.

There was a deep throaty growl.

Then an oddly young voice. "Oh look at this. I guess we arrived at the right time!"

Enri braved a peek, then instantly recoiled in shock. Not even a few feet away was some massive mountain wolf- no something more monstrous than a wolf! It's gaze was a poisonous yellow, huge and murderous. It also seemed to be glaring right past her to the only threat in the vicinity.

"So are you dead or just in shock? Ah whatever."

Enri's eyes shot up just a head higher, and saw a mildly amused yet distracted elf child. Well it looked like a child at least. Only the barest of rumors and some good guesses claimed elfs were born with an adult mind if nothing else. That made this… thing… dangerous if for no other reason then being a stones throw away from being a trickster or a Goodfellow (a kind of hobgoblin that spirits away children into the fairy realms).

He, as she guessed, wore what looked like a very sharp white robe of an odd cut, separate to form trousers and covering red scaled armor. A large golden acorn like medallion on a thick gold chain hung around his neck.

The beast he rode slowly circled around. Her eyes tried to follow but a dark black kept them still.

Her breath caught in her lungs.

Towering above, with an evil red gleam in its hallow eye sockets, was the absolute epitome of death. It's black and purple shroud flapped gently but she felt no breeze. In its hand a golden staff that twisted and warped matching its wielder. It called out to her, in a sense that it alone could rob her soul if it wished. The snakes at the top, mouths filled with a jewel, glared at her with such intensity.

Perhaps it was her imagination. Perhaps all of this was just… not happening… and she was already dead?

The figure reached out. It was slow, methodical.

Before she knew what happened it said two words in a voice that shook her to her core, strong and commanding.

"Grasp heart!" And the woman known as Enri blacked out.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

In the year 2138 AD there was a term: DMMO-RPG.

That word was an acronym for "Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game."

With some special equipment, and for some surgery, it was possible to upload your consciousness into computers and their programs to experience new worlds and impossible things.

However this was a "relatively new" technology that did have some issues. Those that tended to be extremely brave or craving new experiences on a new level used it.

Or those desperate enough.

Money, livelihood, or if you just reached a dead end somewhere else. Those who tried were compensated well. The technology was around for a very long time, but only just gotten into the public markets 30 years ago and for many there were still great concerns.

Some people as reports went would occasionally end up braindead. Others with changed personalities. Some after using it for years just… disappeared altogether without a trace.

Granted it was borderline rumors. Any real accident barely happened and there were plenty of safeguards backed by the immense threat of legal retaliation if anyone came to harm while plugged in, barred whatever would happen in the real world while it happened.

But then again, the benefits of being able to "physically" roam a digital playground among other things were staggering.

One such game was YGGDRASIL.

This game had been painstakingly developed and released twelve years ago, in 2126. Much like older MMO's, you could level up, join clans, take on an entire fantasy world and it's campaigns. Unlike any of those other games however, you had the power to make or reshape the world as you saw fit. Granted if you had the "data crystals" to do it. Something of an in game currency that also affected real world research and applications, if you had enough and it didn't break anything (after a certain point items had to be cleared by mods for example). It boasted a massive world, numerous classes, and freely customizable appearances.

These features ignited the creative spirits of its Japanese players, and sparked what would later be known as a stylistic revolution.

However it didn't mean it was restricted to one nation.

Even more so, in spite of its massive success, everything will have to end sometime.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

In a pearl white room of marble, decorated with gold trimmings and a massive onyx table sat around forty one chairs. Each plush and plump as if made for royalty or important delegates. And of these, only four were occupied.

These four were winding down from an involved discussion, laughter slowly dying as they sat enjoying the moment.

The first of which was a blob like creature of living tar, who called himself Herohero, finishing making a joke about how he was starting to feel like his character looked. "That is how life is though." He said slowly and picking his words carefully in English as he wasn't a native speaker. This was mostly directed to the only odd one of the group in this regard. "I'm glad that I took the day off to escape it."

A large skeletal figure chuckled, his large frame and wide robe fining comfort in the seat that should by all appearances be a bit too small for him. Beyond the fabric and its ever glowing eyes, a soft outline of a dark halo outlined its head. A large golden collar strapped across its chest. At a glance you knew this was an Overlord. A spell-casting wraith of sorts of the strongest variety.

And it lifted its hand and waved it off with a grin."Hey I'm glad you did, as well as the rest of you. It's practically a holiday for us anyways. Or a reunion at least. Also I do have the auto translate on if you want to go with that."

A text-box appeared overhead allowing all parties to see his words transcribed in real time.

Herohero leaned back, globs of tar slowly shaking free as he relaxed. "I know," he started, text-box appearing over himself as he switched back to his native language. "It just helps to get the practice in for my job. But yeah I wouldn't have missed today for the world. Especially if you knew how bad it was over here…."

The overlord suppressed a shudder. He knew all right. It was bad everywhere. It was a reason games like this existed. The real world out there was becoming a hellscape, air too dirty to breathe and people were dying in the streets from it and starvation; at least in the larger cities like where he lived himself. Apparently in Japan it was a hundred times worse. Solutions were coming, but it seemed so slowly that when it finally comes around it would probably be too late if it wasn't already.

Herohero continued. "…But let's not talk about that anymore Momonga. I'm going to have to leave soon so I want to end this on a high note." The slime sat back up. "We might actually have a chance to meet. I'll be flying out in a weeks time and my business meeting will be taking place just downtown where you're at. We should meet and have a few drinks at a bar. Find us a good one will you?"

The overlord, Momonga (he didn't originally choose the name but went with it after it becoming something they called him for a while), nearly gasped. "Of course, that would be fantastic. You have my email so send me a message when you arrive and I'll show you some American hospitality."

The slime sent out a smile emoji above its head next to the text box. Of all the wonders the game held, moving facial features seemed to be beyond it. At least for things that lacked a moving face. "Well I'll see you then Momonga. Bukubukuchagama. Peroroncino. Sorry I couldn't stay until the servers end but I'm glad we all could catch up." And with that Herohero logged out.

"Well that was fun." What looked like another slime, but made of odd pink flesh, spoke out with her own text box. Bukubukuchagama sighed as she continued, her usual high pitched voice that went to voice acting gone for the moment as the mood sobered up with their member leaving. "I honestly can't believe this is it."

Peroroncino, a monster that looked like a cross between an angel, gladiator, and bird wearing a Mardi Gras mask crossed his arms and leaned back and grunted himself in agreement. "Honestly this sucks. We spent so much time here and -for some-" he coughed towards the mass of flesh, "dumped so much money into this, it seems like such a waste now…."

"HEY!" The mass swerved around directing a glare at was the avatar of her brother, "in case you forgot I SHARED half that crap with you mister yen pincher!" An odd phrase but they did hang around the only foreigner who liked to throw idioms around.

Peroroncino quickly raised his hands in surrender knowing it wouldn't do to backtalk his older sister before he froze. It took a whole second before he jumped off his seat surprising the other two members of their clan "Ainz Ooal Gown" with his sudden action. "SHIT! I think I just spilled beer on my terminal. Hey Momonga I need to go, we'll catch up!" A breath later his avatar vanished.

Both remaining members let go of a sigh, or in Bukubuku's case a groan. "I think" she said turning back to Momonga, "I need to make sure he's ok and not burning the apartment down. He's just next door after all."

"Oh yeah, I understand." The skeleton said. ' _Ok, I'm not going to lie, I was hoping that a few of us would at least time out this place together….'_ He let out a small huff. ' _I know it's a bit selfish but these guys became a family to me. Is it really so wrong to want to spend a bit more time with them before the possibility of never seeing them again happens? It's not like I can just walk down the street and meet them, they live halfway around the world!'_

"Umm… before I go." The slime shifted around a little snapping Momonga out of his developing thoughts. "I just want you to know you were a great clan leader and friend. I wish I could go with Herohero to meet you but you know my job doesn't allow much free time. Getting today off as is was nothing short of a miracle. And the fact you keep all this going more or less by yourself… it's amazing. You made for a great guild master. Honestly… I always wanted to know you more but I know that sort of relationship doesn't work out."

Her voice returned to its usual higher pitch self and giving what looked like a little cutesy pose; "So if you ever find yourself around good old Tokyo be sure to give me a call! And maybe… well who knows? … _DAMN IT YOU PERVERT, CAN YOU_ _ **NOT**_ _BURN DOWN THE BUILDING WE LIVE IN!?_ " Before he could even react she logged off leaving the room the reverb of her shout.

"W-what…?" Momonga just stared at her chair for what felt like an eternity? "…was that about?" The defining silence offered no response, as if the Great Tomb of Nazarick itself was shocked silent to… whatever that was. Not like the building should have been surprised if it could be, given that the clan made its halls their home for at least the last five years of its existence. For being made with timeless empowering authority in mind however, it could have been a week for all it cared.

The large skeleton spun around slowly to get up but paused when he saw the giant staff almost embedded in the wall that symbolized the clan the most. Every bit of it from the gold snakes, jewels, and… the visual effect that looked like the screaming souls of the damned that danced across its length crept joy and fond memories into Momonga's heart. The shock of before melting away he reached out and grabbed it, remembering the staff being a gift from his teammates as the new Guildmaster. Oh the hours they all grind, data collected, items stored, bartered, and sold for new materials on top of materials until they finally had enough to make this.

The collector inside Momonga frowned however. All that time and effort… about to be wiped clean in… half an hours time. Peroroncino was right, it did seem like a waste but the memories… _I wouldn't trade them for the world._

Standing up and deciding to take the staff with him, as a last official action as guild master to tout around reminiscing and appreciating the place he called his home (more of one than his actual home if you believed it). The more he walked, the more his emotions good and bad stormed inside him. He encountered a line of people in the hall a ways down from the meeting room. A strong looking man in a suit with silver hair, and six European style maid like characters. That wouldn't be odd for a place like this other than the fact some looked human and they all had armor of some sort. The guild was based on the fact you had to be of a monster type and had to work a job (although more as a guideline than a rule as time went on for some short term members that never lasted. The game was on its death throes.) They weren't actual people, but NPC characters made by the other members of the guild with data crystals and other things.

_It was… Sebas I believe, and the Pleiades? It was something based on greek mythology, not that I took the time to look up what. I really feel bad about that now since Touch Me and Yamaiko made them and really put in the effort for backstories._

As if sensing his thoughts halfway through, each of the current members had a small box appear above them containing their name and dialogue. _A lot of dialogue._

He looked at the girls one by one. The first was a tall maid with large gauntlets on her arms. It took another moment to put a name to her. Yuri Alpha. Then one with a cute animal hat on her head. Lupusregina Beta. It took a while to get her tongue twister of a name down. Narberal Gamma, probably the plainest looking of the group but don't tell Yamaiko that. The guy loved maids and the like and she was almost treated like his crown jewel of the bunch. CZ2I28 Delta looked like she came out of serving along a war general, with her camo print cloth where white lace and fabrics would otherwise be used and sporting an eyepatch.

Solution Epsilon was more to Momonga's taste as far as design goes. With blonde curls she looks more like a French maid than the rest. Not to mention that low cut skirt… oh yeah, Yamaiko was a perv for them all right. Likewise Momonga cared for the next and final member, Entoma Vasilissa Zeta. She was designed to be a bug girl, so yeah thats a little gross, but something about her seems sad and it just tugged on his heartstrings a little.

His thoughts were cut short when he took a closer look at their description boxes however.

_Sweet hell, thats a lot of characters! Way more than I actually have the time to be here to read them. That's just unfortunate. Hrmm… I might not know their history, but I would like their company. What kind of guild master would I be if I didn't at least gather up the family as I come across them?_

It took him a minute before thinking of the command "Come" for them to follow, but they did and after a short trek and a few detours ended up before the doors of the great hall. Thankfully for a massive six floor dungeon with some rooms leading anywhere and nowhere for the uninitiated, his destination wasn't that far to take up too much of his time. Just a few quick flights of stairs and behind a pair of massive doors etched with figures and details playing out a scene between a massive battle and ultimate salvation was the final destination. The throne room.

The place, like most of the dungeon, was massive. The walls where high enough to allow a full grown dragon comfortable room for flight should one ever find itself there, and decorated around where flags bearing the crests of all the members. Near the back end of this grand hall was a throne that reached the ceiling, elevated up just a few steps of stairs. Standing next to it was another NPC that he made out as Albedo. Some sort of succubus type character, looking close to human save for black horns from her head and wings from her hips. The small group approached the throne before the guild leader raised his hand.

"Dismissed." It sounded official enough to work, and thankfully it did as the maids and Buttler took a spot along the long carpet that cut straight through the floor to the seat. A few more steps and Momonga plopped down with a sigh of relief. The clock read five minutes to go, he was starting to worry if he took too long getting there until he checked. With a sigh of relief and not much else to do to pass the time, he decided to check Albedo's description. Unfortunately it required using his staff, which gave himself mod privileges, to open the box for editing to translate it.

Momonga briefly cringed as he flipped through the window. Some of the wording looked a little off from the conversion. He tried to control z the space but everything stubbornly stayed as it was. Things didn't get any better when he reached the last line that couldn't be taken any other way.

'She's also a bitch.'

…

Well that's fine and dandy. Momonga fumed a bit reading it. It wasn't really a problem that it existed, hell he liked having characters or events that contrasted from expectations. It made things fun and unpredictable but this... was almost cliché. It could have been done better but it looked like there was no more room for text. Then an idea popped into Momongas mind that turned him a bit sheepish. A dirty thought, since he accidentally appeared to ruin most of the dialogue and none of it was going to exist in… a minute anyways. Then it went to depressed. _I'm sorry Tabula… you did wanted to make a character with me before though, this will have to be the best we can do._

The negative feeling left when he started typing, becoming a slight childlike goof in his own mind. It took just a moment to replace that line with 'And she's crazy about Momonga.' _You did say I needed a girlfriend before. Ha._

Closing up the menu and heart pounding a little as his mind played some silly 'romantic' thoughts about the implication of that one sentence, Momonga leaned back in his massive seat and stared at the few NPC figures. _They look ready to carry out their final duty._ "Kneel." He commanded, all characters bending to one knee. This was it, each had closed eyes as if saying 'thank you for all the years you been with us.' Momonga watched them before settling his gaze onto the celling.

_Well it's been a blast. What I would give to have it last forever though. At least there are still some things to look forward to…_

The clock counted down… He closed his eyes.

Five….

Four….

Three….

Two….

One….

And like that the servers are down. It's a new day. He'll be back in his mostly empty room back to his boring daily grind of a job and back to the small horrors that plagued everyone's life.

One…

Two…

Three….

And when Momonga opened his eyes he frowned. He was still in the game? They must have not turned off the servers. Some companies do that when players linger, stopping new ones from entering and just waiting until everyone leaves. Well that's unfortunate because now he's going to have to force himself to log off rather than take it like something unavoidable. Because he would linger as long as he could for no other reason than 'just because.' Even if it means he'll be dead tomorrow when his shift started at his work. He closed his eyes and tried to leave. When he opened them again… he was still in the throne room….

Something was off. Quickly he reached up to open the command console.

Nothing appeared. Now he started to panic. Running through his mind he tried every form of communication including reaching the mods, another player, world chat, _anything._ Something started to swell in the pit of his stomach. Despair and fear. Could he… could he possibly be… stuck in the program? Did something go wrong with his connection? _**Did he lose his connection with his body?!**_ Before anything happened or the emotions became too great, a voice cut into his thoughts.

"Is anything wrong Lord Momonga." This caught him flat footed.

"What? …Who said that?" Momonga nearly surprised himself. That voice he just spoke with was NOT his voice! This was way deeper. But then he remembered the female voice, and slowly turned back to it. Albedo was there. And she had a look of confusion and worry on her face.

"Lord Momonga?"

Momonga, Guildmaster of Ainz Ooal Gown, max level Overlord, pk'er of three thousand players in his own right-

-released a tight high pitched squeak from his throat realizing the computer program.

Was talking.

To him.

Not AT him.

TO HIM.

"I'm fine." He managed to finally push out.

This… this didn't happen. If characters talked, it was in a general sense. No specifics like _names,_ just quests or canned shouting when attacking or defending. Albedo's face drew close to Momonga's as she studied him. A faint fragrance entered his nostrils. The scent seemed to restore Momonga's ability to think if not just a little, and his mind which had been fried slowly returned to normal. As normal as the situation allowed, which was still pretty fogged up with questions at least. "Nothing is… Nothing is wrong. Th…thank you?"

_Nice, nothing like having it pushed out like a question since I don't know what the heck is happening!_

Even if he was trapped in the game like he first guessed (and it seemed the most likely until he had the moment to think otherwise) everything felt so off. He studied her as she seemed to do with him. She bobbed left to right looking him over. Individual hairs moved around. HER FABRIK EVEN FOLDED WITH HER. _This is all just too surreal._

Finally she asked. "…Is something the matter?"

…. "Nothing… seems to be… working."

Albedo nearly jumped back as if he smacked her. "F-forgive me my lord! If something is failing you then it must be corrected at once! Please command me to find the solution to whatever's troubling you." Her voice dropped the curiosity she had into somewhere between urgency and panic. Likewise, this did not improve Momonga's own outlook. This seemed to go feedback into the woman as now she wondered what truly was wrong. Neither of them noticed the slight shifting of the maids and butler just down the stairs in their kneeling position. Likewise if something was wrong it was their job to fix it but whatever else 'this' was going on, it was starting to hang in the air making them anxious as well. Eventually Momonga just waved his hand dismissing her covering his face with the other in thought as the staff he was holding hovered in the air contently next to him. Albedo took a step back, schooling her emotions but face twisting in horror on the inside. Did he not need her? Not think she was able to help whatever ailed him?

Before thinking too far into it, her lord snapped out a command. "Sebas! Maids!"

"Yes!"

Their voices chorused out as one, and then the butler and maids raised their heads.

"Approach the throne."

"Understood."

They all moved with a perfect sync from where they were to the foot of the stairs, back to their bowing position on the floor. This was just too human.

Too life-like. Too… real. His eyes shot to Albedo, who looked like she was about to fall backward from the force of his gaze. That unexpected range of facial expressions. The reason why her mouth could move and why she could speak—

"Im…pos…sible!"

Momonga hurriedly placed a hand on his mandible, and spoke.

His mouth was moving.

A character's mouth would not move with their words. It was too advanced for the amount of customizable options aside from a few basic ranges preprogrammed for general faces. "Albedo… um… would YOU be able to contact the mods? I can't seem to be able…." Seeing that he was asking to be helpful, the woman took a jump on it only to freeze and unsure. Her face fell. "I'm sorry Lord Momonga. I don't recall anyone in Nazarick with the name of Mod. I apologize for my failure before I even begun." _Oh shit, I said something wrong._

"No, please Albedo. That alone answers quite a bit." _But brings up more questions and WOW I sound much calmer than I actually am._ "Sebas, rise."

The butler stood up with an earnest yet calm expression, as if pleased just hearing his own name uttered yet alone to be of use. "Sebas, I have a great feeling something is off. As such I need you to go out of the tomb and take a look around. See if anything changed in the swamplands but don't wander too far from the entrance incase if dangers present themselves. Take two of the Pleiades of your choice to help. Watch each others backs until you return."

"Your will will be done my lord. Narberal, CZ2I28, if you please." As the three made their leave, Momonga was stupefied. He didn't expect that line of command to work. No of course it worked if everything else was behaving so… lifelike. Being able to follow a complicated order (complicated for a computer at least) and make an active decision on it was too much. So what did it mean?

 _Well either this is my imagination as everything I am is slowly unraveling apart since I'm no longer connected to my own mind, or less likely this all became real. Let's… stick to the other one just for a happy thought._ He pinched his arm. He only felt the bone of his avatar. He felt his clothes, and although it was a little muted it seemed fine. "Albedo!" She snapped back to reality.

"Yes Lord Momonga!"

"I need you to slap me! Right on my face!"

"You-you want me to… you want me to…." She did it, Momonga felt it and he convinced himself that yes, his mind shouldn't be unraveling if he could feel pain which helped to snap himself back to earth at that moment. At least he had that much going for him right now. Albedo quickly excused herself where she nearly sprinted to a nearby abandoned (yet still fully cleaned and furnished) room that had a toilet available, and couldn't decide if she wanted to upheave or sob for the next hour.

Momonga had no idea why she needed to leave so quickly, yet commanded the rest of his battle maids (who were in a bit of shock themselves) to go out and round up the floor guardians of Nazarick with a few exceptions to meet at the Amphitheater in the hour and to otherwise spread word that the entire tomb would be on red alert until farther notice. It was about time for him to figure out what was going on. And on that note…

_If the NPC's are able to think, and act, all on their own does that mean I need to be able to prove myself to them?_

_I'm not much of a leader, I don't really know how to act like one. Most of what I did for the clan was keeping finances in check and make sure everyone got a good cut. I'm basically a glorified treasurer! To earn and maintain a loyalty, how would it be possible at all? If they decide to go rogue… many are as strong or can outclass me no problem! Well fuck. I might need to be able to prove myself and… HAVING ALBEDO HIT ME PROBABLY WASN'T THE BEST IDEA._

As soon as that thought came, as well as the sudden urge to either cry or upheave for an hour (not that he was sure that was possible if he really became… an undead) the feeling disappeared. Like clouds parting his mind.

 _Oh yeah._ He thought perfectly and clearly. _I'm screwed._

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

A/N:  
Cleaned up the text a little.  
Will try and update monthly.

In case you didn't realize, this will be a bit OOC (out of character) if American Momonga didn't tip that off and some places and events that were major may not even happen, smaller events might reveal themselves to actually have much larger consequences, and so on. In other words it's a fan fiction. If you want read overlord lore, go read the official light novel. You're entering my world now.


	2. Meeting of the Guardians

The shock didn’t wear off for Albedo as she stalked the halls to where she and the other guardians were summoned. To her it didn’t make sense and the conflicting nature of her base desires to protect and serve her master made her dizzy when it floated back and forth in her mind. She shook for a moment and had to lean against a wall to steady herself, the scene replayed in her mind again as it had thirty minutes ago from her retching and wheeling.

...

“I need you to slap me! Right on my face!”

Her skeletal lord commanded her with a fierce determination in his glowing eyes. The throne room was dead silent as Albedo struggled to say something.

“You-you want me to… you want me to….”

She could feel her pulse quicken as her mind processed that command. At this point it was an unsaid understanding between the servants that none of the denizens of Nazarick would ever bring harm to their masters and creators, the 41 supreme beings that made everything they knew and owed their existence and very souls too. Even those few members that might say otherwise, it was with a laugh because their loyalty in the end was unquestioned. They were simply made to say such things. Even the lowliest and treacherous leach made in Nazarick would willingly give themselves a thousand times over and an infinite existence beyond farther still to save, obey, and CHERISH their living gods. The One who has stuck around nearly every day, watching over them, giving more love and attention to each citizen as she could recall and even now when the other Supreme Ones admitted they would never return.

How she and everyone else knew, it was no surprise.Their lords were muttering about an end for a while. An end to everything. But... Lord Momonga stayed.

And she hit him in the face.

She could feel the icy stares of the maids and butler behind her back. But it was her command.After just a pregnant breath her lord began to laugh too, of relief of all things from the sound of it! The strike itself was weak, from how it felt to her. Perhaps if it was more like a tap, she could have gotten away with it instead? Regardless she broke the taboo and it gnawed away at her stomach.

He commanded it and it turned her into trash.

No, worse than trash. She should have resisted, said no, anything... now she wanted to beg for forgiveness, because if it was a test she most certainly failed. Skin her alive, toss her against some sort of impossible task, or just let her hold and hug him and do whatever she could to make things right....

It was thoughts like that which helped pull her out of the stupor.

Whatever the reason he asked her to do that... it made Lord Momonga happy. Ultimately isn’t that all that mattered?

Albedo pushed herself away from her support with a sniff, and looked down on herself.

“It won’t do trying to figure out what’s going through his mind. More likely than not, any creature half as capable as Lord Momonga or any one of the Supreme Ones would be beyond my understanding.” It would have to make do that she probably will just have to get used to this odd adjustment by her leader. One that was slowly becoming a mystery that took over every other thoughts. A small smile made to her face as she walked with new resolve to the amphitheater, she might not understand him but she won’t have to. As long as she can be useful and carry out any command, THAT is what must matter. She would have to do everything to make sure she satisfied her masters every need. If she failed this test, she would NOT fail again.

Once she made it down the hall Albedo nearly collapsed again, whimpered out once again with a croak in her voice:

“...I just hit Lord Momonga.....”

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

“Yeaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhwwwwwwwwwwwwn.”  
  
“Aura, I can’t believe that you sound tired.” A quiet voice floated forward. “We haven’t done anything too stressful lately…”

“Mare, it’s exactly why I’m tired. We haven’t done anythiiiiiing.”

“I guess. We haven’t really done a lot in a long time. I’m glad no one tried to… you know… hurt any of us while all our creators are gone but… I can’t help but think that’s some sort of sign.”  
  
The small rumbles of their talk started to buildup in the open aired coliseum. A coliseum that hasn’t seen any actual battle for most of its occupation. The fact that it was on the sixth floor underground probably contributed to the fact, since the forth and fifth floors were fiercely protected. Wait, no, there were times invaders broke through right? Aura, twin to her brother Mare, dipped into thought. She remembered there were actually a few times she fought and unfortunately even lost to protect her station.   
  
It’s not like it ever hurt. Her body would just give up and things would go dark… and honestly when it did happen (Aura didn’t want to admit) but it terrified her. She vaguely _knew_ she ended up in a void somewhere. She _knew_ every second in there drained her in a way that would have been irreversible if her creators didn’t revive her. She even knew - ok she thought - she deserved whatever fate it would lead to for such a failure. Yet every time she was rescued from that uncertainty.

Every time, it wasn’t because of her creator but that skeletal guild master Momonga.

He always seemed to be the constant no matter what other Supreme Being came or went. Sometimes even laughing, or with a joke probably to himself more than her. “Dead and back now are you,” or “good thing you have uncle Death here to bring you back.”  
  
Aura didn’t understand what he would go on about but he usually seemed pleased about it for some reason. Maybe… pleased at rescuing her?

Aura’s mind would drift, thinking about the other creators. That left a small pain in her heart.

The Great Ones were going to leave. Every day she talked with her brother when Momonga finished doing his semi daily rounds checking on parts of Nazarick. They used that period to take turns leaving their level to do whatever since if their masters who knew everything weren’t there, it should be ok to patrol other places to do small luxuries they felt were safe to do.  
  
Like Mare for example, he ran out to the library often and to do what? READ! And he does it all the time! It’s probably why he wasn’t as bored as Aura who needed to do something with her hands. She would train herself and her pets, explore the forests of her floor, mingle with the others in Nazarick, but not today. She could feel deep down in her gut that everything was going to change.

Aura Bella Fiora came back to from her tangent of thoughts, feeling herself grow stiff. She was laying down on a stone sofa that lined the open air VIP box of the amphitheater. Despite being underground, a soft purple light of a starry night blanketed the building, forest, and all in its soft glow. It just shown how powerful the Supreme Ones were to create this little bit of paradise away from the actual sun, even if Mare had to care for it once in a while as a test and to keep them from being too bored, or so she thought. All this thinking prompted one question to hang near her lips.

“Hey Mare, do you think…?” _That we’ll never see our creators again?_ That’s what she wanted to ask but a quick sniffle was her response. Looking over she saw he was clutching his book, something about dolls wanting to be real humans, face scrunched up. A few quick breaths and a few fat tears fell down his face onto his dress. He knew what she was going to say. Mare usually was really good with that. It was his questions though that usually threw her off, like his response.  
  
“Is it our fa-fault? Did we do something wrong?”  
  
Aura shot up from her position to stare at her bother. “Mare-!” She stopped right there. _Of course it’s not our fault,_ her mind screamed, _we done everything we could and more to please them! There’s nothing wrong with us! You know they love us and we returned it as much as we could!_ None of it could leave her mind. Mare looked at her with his large watery eyes and quivering lips.   
  
None of it was a lie, right? So why did it feel like it was one?

Most of the Supreme Beings left after a while, maybe they returned for a day or two only for them never to return. A few even briefer then that. For most, they never even returned to their floors to see their chil- creations. She knew that Bukubukuchagama returned after being gone for years, she just _felt_ it and practically herd her voice through the floors and stones of Nazarick. That alone made Aura grin in a way that was bright enough to light up the night sky, but it quietly slipped away when time passed and she never shown up. Then that happy feeling vanished.

Truth be told, this wasn’t the first time they had this discussion. A lot of the Nazarick denizens would hear whispers of dread and despair from somewhere else about how long it has been since they saw their creators. Not one hated the Supreme Ones for it but… it was a lonely existence. When all you ever came to know was to serve them, and they’re no longer there to serve, did you exist at all anymore? Of course though it must have been part of some sort of plan, so everyone had to trust it.   
  
Still this is the first time Aura couldn’t rush to finish her claim of their love. This was the first time Mare shown his heartbreak. How many years _has_ it been since they even really herd Bukubuku’s voice, let alone see her? To play with her in their many dresses and clothes? To feel her pride carrying out her orders?  
  
“I’m sure… it was just something beyond our understanding. Thats all.”  
  
Mare wiped his eyes. It wouldn’t be worth crying and feeling sorry for himself now. At the very least he could continue their final order. Guarding their level for as long as-  
  
  
BOOM.

An explosion, kicking up dust and dirt as high as the skybox they were in. Neither of them realized that someone or something snuck in under their noses during their little talk and as soon as all the Supreme Ones left no doubt! Aura felt something bubble up in her. _So did some sort of pest manage to get in right when our masters were gone? Well I’ll teach them for thinking we’re easy pickings now!  
  
_ The elf rolled onto the floor and quickly made to the edge of the room to look out upon the field below. The question of why and how the explosion happened didn’t really cross her mind.

The floor of the arena wasn’t as populated or outright dangerous as the other levels above or around. The amphitheater had golems, but they were more like simple one note dolls that were made to cheer when a battle took place there. Most of her pets were locked into their own rather grand size room while a few kept to the swaps, jungle, or lake off in the distance.

Well the Dragonkin (those large lumbering half lizard half person that couldn’t be bothered to carry a conversation no matter how much Aura pestered them) that kept things tidy could be what stopped the invader and caused the explosion, but the power seemed like overkill for those small fry. Hugging the wall, she peered down and was nearly paralyzed to her very core. Down there was a face she recognized clear as day, the one that was there to revive her when she fell, the one that actually visited every week and took time to look over her and her brother. Slowly she turned around to Mare, a smile touching her face that only grew wider as it sunk in.

“They didn’t leave us. We’re not alone!”

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  
  
Momonga stepped through the shadows that surrounded him before reaching through to a dark pathway of carved stone and sandy flooring. A breath escaped his nose that he didn’t even know he held. The skeletal man held up his left hand (the other was reoccupied with his golden staff that he couldn’t leave behind, especially if he needed to use the awesome forces that dwelled within it for any reason) and inspected the item that made the near instant trip from the throne room to here possible; a small ring with a crest of the guild emblazoned upon it.

_‘It’s nice to know my items still work at least. It took almost no time at all to use either.’_ That in itself was a silent blessing. Unlike it being back in the “game world” as he came to know it, which still needed some outside input like motion tracking gloves to select items on a menu or a physical button to hot key a spell, this was admittedly more... finicky. It took a few minutes of silent fuming getting it to activate. It was only after an intense desire for it to work and where he wanted to go triggered it to work. The question of “where he wanted to go” only came up when he found himself in the middle of a frozen wasteland the first time.

‘ _Right now it’s all about figuring out how everything works. Especially now that it’s really sinking in that this really isn’t a game anymore.’_ Really it shouldn’t have been a surprise. Feeling clothing, smelling perfume (or shampoo, saying that he smelt Albedos hair outright felt too weird), feeling pain, none of those were things you can do in the game. Sure, it didn’t mean the developers couldn’t. His consciousness WAS connected to the program, but with how highly illegal it was based on the idea that people could no longer tell reality from fantasy was incredibly dangerous at best, so with the possibility that anything could go wrong no game designer would even attempt it even as a proof of concept.

So right now, he needed information. It all hinted on the assumptions so far, how much of the game was now real?

Of course “how” is still the big question as to why everything happened to begin with, but that’s for future Momonga to figure out if ever. That cheery thought brokered a sigh. _‘Unfortunately not every mystery is able to be solved.’_

The skeletal man gathered himself and walked forward out from the stone hallways to the purple lit dirt field of the coliseum. It was a magnificent view but not one he didn’t see countless times before. Instead it was the moment to figure out something more important; how to access his spells.   
  
“Okay, so it’s probably more intent and maybe some pronunciations….” Momonga mumbled to himself as his gaze trailed down to the dirt floor before him, It seemed like the safest bet to prepare his skillset by starting with something small at least. “Ok intent… I need my items. I have what I need in mind… I want it…” and with that he reached forward.

And a shadow engulfed his hand. _‘Ok, good. This is like the game to get into the inventory screen. Just need to feel it out.’_ He got what he was looking for in just a moment, pulling out from the inky black rift an old tattered looking book. It was a grimoire, one of several he made for himself both in the game and real life filled with notes on spells he unlocked over the course of his game time. Since he knew over 700 of them thanks to some semi-broken game mechanics, it became worthwhile to catalogue what he got including several sections on how to use what spells best. It wasn’t pointless even if most spells any player would remember by heart for protection or boosting buffs but some were specialized and needed to meet requirements to use. Frankly, he readily admitted too, his memory sucked something awful. It became a necessity to make notes in the real world and send a copy to the game so no time was wasted digging through the labyrinth of menus that made up the in game help section.

That was the actual stuff of nightmares.

Turning each page one handed with finesse he gave himself a moment to think about what he would try. _‘It’ll need to be something basic. Relatively self contained. Not leave a lot of damage so no one will be let on that I’m practicing. Oh I think I got it!’_ Placing the book into a pocket lining the inside of his robes, Momongas gaze returned to the center of the arena.

“If this is like any of the item spells then calling it forward should be easy.” A giggle nearly escaped, starting to feel excited on the idea of casting magic. Real magic! Will it look different from how it was in the game? So much to try and experiment with later! “I think this will be enough to act as a final test. A little level one **Shock.** ”

Shock was an incredibly low level spell granted to all casters as a basic elemental attack, even if you didn’t have the affinity for it. Most people ‘forgot’ it to make room for other spells in the slot since the typical cap was at 300, although Shock could be upgraded to an absurd degree if you stuck with it. Still, a short quick burst would shoot forward and give a small amount of damage on its target and that would be it.

However that wasn’t how it was for Momonga.

Perhaps he wasn’t properly thinking of the intention behind the spell. Right after he lifted his hand a shock came out all right, with all the strength of a mythical god like Zeus who decided that particular spot of earth offended him “so fuck it in particular.” The bolt ripped out of his open palm, massive and wild as small stray bits flew off in every direction. It was over in nearly an instant, but followed with an earth shaking explosion that sprayed dirt sky high. The dust it left was thick to white out visibility until it settled a minute later. All that was left of the spot was a blackened crater.

For the second time in the past thirty minutes, a strained whine escaped Momonga’s throat at what just happened. “Oh my god that was-.”  
  
“AMAZING!”   
  
Momonga ripped his eyes off the spot to where the voice came from overhead. He couldn’t see where exactly until a white and red blur jumped from a skybox out over the field. It landed with a loud thud on its legs, but in spite of it jumping from several floors up didn’t seemed to be effected from the fall in the least. Then Momonga recognized what he saw.  
  
“Oh, Aura! I was actually wondering where you were.” He wasn’t. Actually he would have rather put off meeting anyone until he had more of a grasp of his powers. The young elf girl smiled brightly, racing up to him but sparing a moment to look at the crater close up.

Momonga watched her carefully as she finished her approach, looking excited to see him. It irradiated such genuine feeling that he couldn’t help but lower his defense. Or just a little, he told himself. “You seem to be doing fine. I’m, ah, sorry for what I did to the floor here. I meant just to practice my spells a bit but my mind wandered for a moment. That is to say that something happened. To Nazarick!” He tried not to sputter it out but it happened under her friendly, intense, childlike staring. ‘ _Crap, I’m not sure if I’m even approaching this right.’_

Aura blinked a few times then shook her head, keeping a small smile on her face. “Not at all my lord! I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting anyone to come here but you’re the supreme leader of the Great Tomb of Nazarick! Safe to say you can reshape everything here as you see fit. Although… I’ll admit I’m a little curious why someone as great and powerful as you needs practice. I’m sure you could turn us all to dust if you wanted to.” Her expression feel into something a little more strained, as if she remembered she was actually talking to her god/boss in such a casual manner. Best to keep rolling with it right? Maybe he won’t notice or take offense to it.

Momonga nodded. “Well it’s like I said, something changed a while ago so I was making sure things were behaving like they should. Case in point, my spell was far stronger than I anticipated. Has anything changed for you in the last half hour Aura?” ‘ _Like gaining sentience and complete autonomy of yourself?’_ He studied her carefully as her face went into concentration, seeing her eyebrows scrunch up and lips giving a little pout as she thought. “Also where’s Mare, was he sent somewhere else? I usually see you two together when I’m here on this level.”

Whatever thought she was in the middle of, Aura quickly snapped out of it. Jerking around, she glared at the VIP booth she jumped from and screamed out at the top of her lungs “MARE, GET OVER HERE! How rude can you be when we get a visit from a Supreme One?” _Geez she can yell,_ Momonga thought.

The voice called back was weak and timid. “B-but Aura, I’m scared…”  
  
“MARE!”  
  
“Ok, ok…. I’m coming!”  
  
Another figure in white and green dropped nearly straight down with little grace, nearly falling over on the landing. Aura turned back with a sigh. “Anyways to answer your question Lord Momonga, I’m not sure if I can say I felt or noticed anything at all. Maybe a slight chill a little while ago but I don’t want to make it out to be something too important.”

“Hmm. I see. Thank you Aura.”  
  
The elf grinned and gave a low bow, it almost seemed somewhere stuck between cheeky and childish if her expression wasn’t so genuine. Mare finally made his way there, wide eyes never leaving the newly formed hole in the floor of their stadium.   
  
Bump.   
  
Mare tripped over himself as he ran into Aura pushing her forward with a yipe. Momonga quickly reached out and stopped her from hitting the floor. “Woah, mind yourself Mare. Aura, are you-.” But stopped himself. He wasn’t grasping her hard where his hand met her arm yet he saw her wince. Was it in pain? She quickly righted herself from his grasp, and got down on one knee submitting herself.

“I’m sorry my lord.” She began through shaky breath, catching Momonga farther off guard.

“What?”

“You were right to punish me. I was being far too careless and disrespectful towards you. You deserve far more than what I was able to present to you. I... now know your initial spell was a declaration of your strength, and the farther pain was your warning. I thank you for your eternal patience and-.”

“Aura!”

Momonga bent down to her level and patted her head. He could feel a slight flinch but ignored it. _‘Oh I sure hope that was it. I think it was all because of a damage-by-touch spell that was always active in the game that hurt when I grabbed her.’_ He wish he had more time to prepare and not have to worry about these things that he took for granted before. This friendly fire wouldn’t ever had happened in Yggdrasil. It’s opening a whole new can of worms and frankly Momonga didn’t like it. _‘It looks like if I want to make sure no one turns on me just because they ended up getting caught in the crosshairs, I shouldn’t use any big spells anymore.’_

Momonga activated his storage portal again, dropping his staff to his side and rummaging around before he pulled out a small red vial. “Aura,” he began, never stopping the soft patting on her head, “I’m sorry that I hurt you. As I said, I’m just getting a new feel for my magic. Something happened that, apparently, only I know about.I need you and Mare,” he gestured a look at the boy who also wore a shocked expression ready to break down into tears, “to keep that much for yourself right now. I don’t understand what’s going on right now, and I can’t explain it. I might make a few mistakes too along the way.”

“Lord Momonga you could never-!” Aura was silenced with a quiet shush and the patting to stop, instead the boney hand moved to her shoulder and the other handed her the potion.

“Drink this and be healed.”  
  
She blinked a few times then shook her head, but a small smile returned to her face. “S-sorry Lord Momonga. I mean it’s still my mistake so you shouldn’t waste it on me… but thank you.”

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It took a while for the twins to calm down and heal up. Momonga had to talk to Mare too since he was afraid of getting himself and his sister into trouble. At least that’s how the boy saw it after bumping into Aura and causing ‘everything bad to happen’ in his words.

Okay, so he never read much into their characters. Momonga can admit that. He only understood what the other members told him when they were created and even then that was the very brief edition since it didn’t matter that much.

So was it in their nature to be so… apologetic and nervous? Sure Albedo acted weird too but that was totally his fault for messing with her backstory.Oh, and now it’s sinking in that he basically broke another living being. Another living being that belonged to a guild mate he looked up too. It’s like a step away from brainwashing or rewriting history on an innocent bystander.  
  
Thankfully moods shifted when he asked if they wanted to see some more acts of his power. Worry melted away to wide eyed delight and amazement as fire and summons were pulled as Momonga tried other fields of his power. He even asked if the two elves wanted to fight a fire elemental summon (possible thanks to the staff of Ainz Ooal Gown, that absolute game breaking beauty of an item) after observing Mare patching up the floor as good as new with his own druid abilities.

An hour slipped by nearly without Momonga’s notice. Really the elf twins were quite fun to be around now that initial awkward seriousness blew past. Apparently neither really expected him to be ‘nice’ let alone ‘fun and caring’ as he treated their wounds and fatigue with more potions and a magical pitcher of never ending water specifically.

_‘Well if I was meeting with the equivalent of my own boss in the same way I’d probably be stressed to hell too. Still I feel they opened up to me pretty fast. Aura practically fell over herselfevery time I shown some concern when she got a bit too banged up from their practice fights. Mare has been giving me odd looks until I congratulated him for his choice of spell work with a soft pat on the head too. And the reactions! Just doing that would trigger them to give me alook as if I told them I was taking them to an amusement park or something.’  
  
_ He looked at them as the twins chatted to each other with glee. It really did make Momonga feel a bit warm on the inside, that he was able to start what he hoped was a good connection with his ex - NPC’s. ‘ _I hope the others are just as warm to me. Would make everything easier if I got to earn their trust.’_

“My my, it appears I’m the first to arrive.”  
  
A voice, young and silky, appeared some distance behind gaining the attention to the three from their own thoughts and conversations. Shalltear Bloodfallen, the buxom “true” vampire dressed in some mix between gothic lolita and victorian style sensibilities with a large lace lined skirt and hooded hat, steeped forward from a portal.

‘ _Crap, I forgot some of the characters had that spell. I didn’t know it could be used in Nazarick! That’s why we had the rings made for free transportation, because we were supposed to ward against that. Well thats just another bit of information for later to make sure I don’t drop my guard if some decide to turn-’_  
  
“Oh wow, Lord Momonga!” Shalltear excitedly dropped a parasol she was carrying which disintegrated into black butterflies as she broke into a skip like run. Before the undead man could react more than a flinch back, she jumped and latched onto herself around Momonga’s waist. “The one I could never rule above, my eternal beloved!”

Third time. THIRD TIME. A restrained sound choked from his throat. This was becoming a habit and he was going to break it before it started. However before Momonga can protest the child looking character, Aura voiced up first with a heated glare. “Cut it Shalltear, I can practically smell your desperation from here.”  
  
The vampire froze a moment before she could recover. “Well hello half-pint.” She said with a smirk, turning slowly on the spot. “You were so plain I didn’t even notice you as I came by. I guess that is the point of why you were made though wasn’t it?” The two were shooting daggers into each other. The air was starting to grow thick with something tense.  
  
“…Miss fake tits.”  
  
“What did you say!?”  
  
Aura crackled out loud at the growing flush on Shalltear. “I knew it. That’s why you bothered to power through with a gate spell. Running down here from your level would shift everything out of the way. Well I got news for you, they’re already messed up with as much as you packed them.”

“Watch it elf!” Shalltear nearly shrieked, covering up her chest to protect it from the other girls gaze. Apparently talking about one’s breast size was something of a trigger button between the two as Momonga noted from the sidelines. “Whatever _you_ might think, at least mine are bigger than those barely noticeable bug bites on your boy chest!”

Aura’s smile became razor thin but never fully dropped. “Well, I can still grow and mature in time. You’re stuck with what you got though. I really got to hand it to Peroroncino, he’s got a sense of humor I thought only Luci-Fer had when it came to you.”

The two quickly got into each other’s faces, spitting out their comebacks with growing intensity. Momonga stared that the two with disbelief. Sure their creators were brother and sister, they fought at times too, but it was never so extreme! He almost missed the slight tugging on his sleeve as Mare silently scooted to his side during the ensuring catfight.   
  
“Y-you’re able to stop them before they go to far right?” Mare practically whispered.

Momonga leaned over to do the same. “At this point I think that’s a bit too late. We both might need to step in.” Neither moved a muscle however, but stared at both girls waiting until one made a move. It probably made more sense than to prematurely trigger an assault. Both girls continued all the same, fists clenching and twitching as if reaching for an invisible weapon.

Nevermind, this was definitely the time to intervene. Thankfully another voice came, strong and raspy, that did just that. “ENOUGH YOU TWO. HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THAT YOU’RE IN THE PRESENCE OF A SUPREME BEING?”

Cocytus, guardian of the 5th floor, marched forward. The massive inset man, some mixture of a mantas and aunt, spoke in an authoritative tone as cold as his own freezing aura that surrounded him. Every step he left froze underneath him.

Inwardly Momonga sighed with relief. Aura and Shalltear instantly stopped what they were doing, muttering apologies to their leader with heads bowed. He really didn’t want to be the bad guy here between them. Frankly, he never really knew how to handle girls or women. Jokes or regular conversations aside, it was always when they worked themselves up into something angry that he never got. At least in the real world, it’s always been over stupid or petty things and honestly this seemed no different. Not to mention that there was an already set history for them of… some sort… so it made sense to let it play out until things broke or punches thrown.

“Thank you for coming Cocytus and helping cool off the situation.” Momonga coughed into a closed fist. The insect warrior barked out a laugh.

“I CAME AS QUICKLY AS I COULD FOR YOUR SUMMONS, AND TO PROVIDE MYSELF USEFUL IS WHY I EXIST.”Each earnest word came out with a breath of cold air from his mandibles. “IN A WAY, IT HAS BEEN HARD TO FULFILL THAT SORT OF ROLE THE PAST THREE MONTHS BUT I KEPT MYSELF BUSY WITH TRAINING. I ASSUME THIS IS WHY I HAVE BEEN CALLED?”

“In a way,” Momonga agreed. “We’re just waiting for the others to arrive. By then I’m expecting some updates, news, reintroductions. Something’s different, and I’m curious where everything stands.”  
  
“AH, I SEE. IN THAT CASE I’LL START FORMULATING A MORE PROPER REPORT FOR YOU IF YOU ASK FOR IT.”  
  
“Uh… yes thank you.”  
  
Cocytus straightened himself up, air slightly less chilly than before as he went off to find a spot to ruminate for a bit. Oh he was feeling ecstatic after hearing those words, Cocytus had to stop himself from nearly prancing. He was praised for doing his duty!Momonga in turn decided he was definitely a character. Someone who looked eager to please and obey and thankfully someone he didn’t need to watch closely if events demanded it.   
  
Mere minutes later, Albedo and another arrived. He was tall, had sharp features, and wore a thin minimalist red suit. This would be Demiurge. Momonga unconsciously gripped his staff a little more tighter upon seeing the demon of the seventh floor. It’s not like he had any reason to dislike this NPC. In a way, this was the first time he was meeting any of them in any capacity that wasn’t like a tool. Demiurge had his own aura about him fitting of his station. Every step was calculated. His face was plastered with a knowing smirk.   
  
Momonga felt like he was being studied from head to toe.

He forced himself to relax. If the demon was as smart as he was originally claimed to be, well… he could be incredibly dangerous if he decided Momonga wasn’t fit to be in his position as the guild head.

‘ _I need to calm down. I need to fortify myself before these six. They’re just NPC’s I called to see where I stand with them. Calm down.’  
  
_ “It looks like everyone I wanted to address is here.”  
  
“My lord” a voice resonated out. Demiurge. He was able to passively command anyone of a lesser level to bend to his well with his word, but thankfully that excluded present company. “I believe you called for the floor guardians to be present yet Victim and Gargantua aren’t here yet.”  
  
“That is true. They have prior orders that supersede these unless they’re specifically called on, not to mention Gargantua… well that should be self explanatory.”

Apparently the brief moment of silence from all the other floor guardians staring at Demiurge after Momonga made that comment spoke volumes. “Of course my lord.” The demon dropped his smile onto something more unreadable.   
  
‘ _CRAP. Did I do something wrong there?’_ Momonga’s fingers twitched on the staff again as the stared back at the floor guardian. _‘I would have thought he knew that Gargantua wasn’t designed as an actual character with a backstory. It’s a golem, a living siege weapon! Or did I make a mistake in thinking that it still held up once_ everything else _changed now? Calm down, calm down!’_

Internally, a pressure was slowly building within Momonga. A magical system that governed all creatures to behave and react a certain way, to be resistant to effects, or to passively run wherever they went. A system that ran and held all creatures within their subtype equally without exception. Such as the undead not experiencing fear or any emotions. Yet here we have an overlord, mind in growing turmoil of doubt, and this magic was being prevented from doing its job. Somewhere along the way, it was being prevented from being channeled inward. What doesn’t go one way….

Albedo smiled and stood between the two, hand over her heart. “My lord, we floor guardians wish to pledge our loyalty to you.”  
  
‘ _…What?!’  
  
_ “With word that the other Supreme Beings are no longer part of our world, yet you remain and honor us with your presence, it’s only fitting we give ourselves to you. Wholly and completely. Everyone, let’s begin.”  
  
 _‘WHAT?!’_  
  
Every guardian nodded with her declaration, and lined up side by side perfectly facing Momonga a respectful distance away. Cocytus, Shalltear, Mare, Albedo, Aura, and Demiurge allknelt and submitted themselves. One by one, they declared their name and station. They marked Momonga as their master and him alone. Demiurge who took the longest to say something by just a moment, did so with a small grin. This time though Momonga knew what it was. Relief.

“The Guardian of the Seventh Floor, Demiurge, presents himself to the Master.”

Momonga didn’t know what to do. He was stunned still. His skeletal hand now grasped his staff for support least the intensity of their proclamation knocked him over. Never before in anyones life were such words said with sincere devotion, and here they were being dropped on his head one after the other. He could practically feel his phantom heartbeat rattling within him, yet any onlooker would see his imposing figure staring with a glaring intensity.   
  
_‘Calm down, you can handle this! Calm down! CALM DOWN!’_

His internal magical system couldn’t handle it anymore. Whatever would usually regulate the undead’s emotion was completely sealed up. It was something unprecedented and ironically unnatural that only matched his own unique circumstance now placed upon in the universe. So whatever couldn’t go in, it went out. Like a dam bursting, his body was flooded with wild magics that lashed out in every direction yet left no harm. A bright light hallowed behind himself tinged with greens.   
  
The guardians now looked upon him with new amazement on their faces. Whatever he was doing, it was glorious to behold. A dark master of death who was standing before a near blinding halo of light stood before them. Between all of them, even those who shouldn’t be able to feel anything, felt wave after wave of something that soothed their very souls. Some held their breath until it slowly dissipated, although wisps of the light lingered on him. 

Shalltear had tears swell up in her eyes. Being the only other undead of the group, she was hit the hardest with this foreign feeling.

Momonga felt newly refreshed, unaware what came over him. “Stand now my guardians.” It was quiet, but strong. “I… thank you. For coming here; for giving yourselves to me as you have.”  
  
Aura was the first to speak and she was quick to do so. “You don’t need to thank us! We are all here because you are here. You… are the Supreme Overlord! We exist to serve you and you alone.”  
  
The others nodded with determination.   
  
For Momonga, this was the kind of switch he needed. Almost like all his worries were reversed in that moment. It may not be permeant but for now… this is what he needed. Something comforting in the previous abrupt change in his life. Something that even if it’s just for now, he can find support in and wasn’t going to be so alone in the world. Relishing in the feeling, the guardians must have took it another way.

“MY LORD, I UNDERSTAND IF YOU DOUBT OUR CONVICTION OR ABILITIES. WE ARE NOT LIKE THE SUPREME BEINGS YOU MAY HAVE RELIED ON OVER THE YEARS, BUT UNDERSTAND WE WILL DO ANY TASK YOU SET FOR US, NO MATTER WHAT.”  
  
“My beautiful Lord Momonga, we swear to never let you down, no matter what your expectations are. We will always be by your side, and serve you until the glorious end.”

“This we swear!”

Momonga was a lot of things. Sedimental was one. Skeptical was another. Yet seeing the creations of his team mates, his friends, make their claim they will always be beside him? That hit hard and filled him with a joy he couldn’t properly express. ‘ _Yes, I don’t think I could want anything more.’_  
  
So he laughed. “This is excellent, absolutely excellent. I have no doubt in my mind that all of you will do that and more where you can. Truly it was something I needed to hear. I want all of you to understand a few things as well. Up to now, I was used to working with my friends. We all had our own understandings and ways to approach things that I came to rely on. I might ask or call for things you may not understand or might seem difficult to follow through. Bare with me when it happens and try to pay attention. Now earlier I… felt a disturbance and set Sebas and a couple battle maids with him to explore the perimeter of the Great Tomb of Nazarick.”  
  
This brought mild surprise to the guardians. Whatever Momonga felt must have been serious to send him out with an escort. The sound of footsteps clacked around them. “My apologies for taking so long my lord, we wanted to be thorough in our investigation.” Sebas walked forward as if anticipating this moment to appear to deliver the news.  
  
“It’s no problem Sebas as long as you were careful out there and nothing attacked you.”  
  
“Nothing of the sort my lord.” The butler bowed. “Although I must inform you that Nazarick seems to have been displaced. The swamp around us is gone; no trace of it in fact. In its place appears to be nothing but grassland. There are no man made structures as far as the eye could see from above, although its night so visibility isn’t as far as it should be. There were some signs of life, but they appear to be simple wildlife than hostile creatures.”

“So nothing appeared too out of place, such as the plant life or structures floating off into the distance?”  
  
“Due to how we have been relocated I made sure to approach everything in a cautious manner. However the plant life didn’t have any special or dangerous properties and the night sky was as clear and as vast as this floors own sky.”  
  
The news was a bit of shock to the guardians, but internally Momonga felt… excited. ‘ _So we’re in a completely new place? One that’s easy to guard and fortify too.’ “_ Thank you Sebas. This is a valuable start to understanding this disturbance I felt earlier. My guardians, I’ll need you to take extra care in guarding your levels and be sure to call for support if the situation demands it. Albedo and Demiurge, your roles of defending and counter offense go into full effect as of now until I feel more comfortable in our new place in the world.”  
  
“My lord.” Albedo said with underlying glee. “We’ll have a full warning system in place in the event we’re attacked or infiltrated.”  
  
“Good. In addition to what I said about calling for backup, I will undo the seals in place to allowdirect access from the Seventh Floor to the Ninth Floor, treating the Ninth and Tenth Floor as one.”  
  
Albedo lost her smile in place for shock. “My lord…. You want mere minions and underlings to walk those halls where you and the other Supreme Beings have made your own?”

There was a slight waver to her voice. Such areas were considered sacred to them, and to Albedo above the others. For Momonga it was far less so. The other guild mates and him just didn’t want to wade through seas of automatically spawning minions every time they held a meeting or visited their in guild shops for items or anything. Plus if anything made it to that point a bunch of low level fodder wouldn’t even hold the invading forces back. However given how delicate things were, having the extra security wouldn’t be that big of a deal.   
  
“I’m asking for a regular patrol route for those floors. If something decides to slip through rather than fight, having guards on every level will minimize their chances.”  
  
Albedo nodded with determination. “Of course my lord. I will select the finest troops to guard those levels.”

Satisfied, Momonga turned to the twins. “Given Sebas’ report, we might need to do something about the tomb. Either to be less noticeable or deter potential enemies away from a glance. What would you think would be good to obscure our location Mare?”  
  
Mare jumped at being mentioned and thought for a moment. “W-we could illusion the walls to be invisible. No one will have a reason to come this way.”  
  
“I’m not against that but illusions like that tend to be unreliable. A heavy rain might break it and how often it would take to reapply the spells since the strongest only last for an hour or so might require too much constant attention.”  
  
Mare deflated a little being rejected like that. Okay, it wasn’t a _rejection_ per say but the first time being called out and have it denied hurt his small ego a little. Still he tried again. “Um… what about camouflage it with plant life? If we p-piled dirt onto the walls it would last a lot longer.”   
  
“Mare,” Albedo said quietly. Her voice sweet yet tinged with an underlying venom. “Are you suggesting to dirty the walls of our Great Tomb of Nazarick, where our Supreme Beings createdas their home, to hide like moles?”  
  
Mare stopped, eyes nearly bulging out of his skull. Nearly every floor guardian present as well as Sebas stared at the young elf with intensity. He started breathing a little heavy. How stupid to suggest that! What was he thinking, to soil the very home of the gods-  
  
“It’s not a bad idea.” Momonga thought out loud. “Also Albedo that was rude; speaking out of turn when I addressed Mare for solutions.”  
  
“My deepest apologies my lord!” Albedo bowed deep, face frozen in fear and flushed. The other guardians plus Sebas had the decency to stiffen in fear as well.   
  
Momonga steeped forward and placed a hand on Mare’s shoulder. Just another added shock to the guardians who saw the act, Mare included. “It’s a good idea but I feel it should be taken a step farther. If we just placed dirt against our walls, we’d look like a hill. If we wanted to blend in, we’d would have to make more hills to not be out of place. If there is intelligent life out there, anyone who knew the area that would happen to come by would know that all of it would be out of place anyways. I believe we should go beyond and dissuade anyone from walking to it entirely if it’s possible. Perhaps reconstruct the swap we were once in or a forest with your druid abilities and populate it with your pets Aura. While the inherent danger might eventually prompt people to seek out why it exists at all with stronger forces, it could give us another layer of security to rely on or stop them from exploring all together if it’s dangerous enough. Do you think that’s at all possible?”  
  
Mare nodded. “Y-y-yes sir! I mean, it’ll take me a while to raise that many t-trees. No one else really uses earth magic.”  
  
“Don’t worry, I’ll help out a little there when I can Mare. As long as you think it can be done, it shouldn’t be a problem. With that, I want every one of you to take a break before starting your duties. I don’t want anyone to push yourselves too hard, especially with all the unknowns going on. Before I retire for a bit myself, I want to ask all of you a question so I can better understand you as well. Shalltear, what kind of person am I to you specifically?”  
  
Shalltear blinked several times before bowing down to one knee. “Well to me my lord, you’re everything beautiful in this world. Not only by your looks but how you’re able to affect us is breathtaking.”  
  
‘ _Well that’s a weird way to put it, but it’s positive so that’s good.’_ “-Cocytus?”  
  
“EASILY THE STRONGEST OF US ALL AND MORE THAN DESERVING OF BEING OUR LORD.” He remarked as he did the same action.   
  
‘ _Well good, two for two and appearing strong is great for leaders.’  
  
_ It continued on. Mare thought him to be a compassionate person, which was a sweet sentiment from the nervous boy. Albedo flat out told him that he was the man she loved and their greatest master above all else. That definitely drove a pang of guilt into his heart but he had to ignore it for now. Sebas was happy for him sticking with them and thus that was enough to make him the greatest of the supreme beings. Demiurge praised his quick wit and foresight benefiting of the gods so it did seem just a little hammy but was delivered with conviction. Aura’s however really stuck out to him though. Even once he left to his private quarters, her voice rang in his head.   
  
“To me… you’re a beacon of hope. One I hope lasts forever.”  
  
A beacon of hope?  
  
What has he done really do deserve being called that?

Why do any of them think that much of him?  
  
The others didn’t react nearly as strongly if all it was just him being the only guild member left.   
  
Crap, now that too made him feel guilty. It wasn’t much of a clan if (even as a technicality) you were the only member left. Honestly the name carried years of sentiment and memories with it. It would honestly be a shame if he let it die.

Walking down a bit from the corridor he teleported to, he found his guild bedroom. It was kinda done in an ironic way, most of his guild mates were really into being immersed into the virtual world before. If they could experience what Momonga was right now, they would have probably shat themselves once it really sunk in. A few really wanted to leave the real world behind that badly. It was unfair in its cosmic sort of way to have the skeleton man here as he is over them that took more time to get the little details down, but he greatly appreciated it all the same. Opening the door, a maid quickly greeted him.   
  
‘ _Wow, we really placed them everywhere didn’t we? I hope that there aren’t others waiting in empty rooms that will never be visited…. I’m going to have to fix that.’_  
  
She went to grab his robes but he declined. Rather he told her to seek out the other maids in similar positions and find other jobs to do around the levels for now including his intention as to why. That seemed to be enough. He wasn’t expecting to stay that long. As an undead, his body didn’t fatigue. His mind however was ready to clock out. Just giving it a shot and not expecting much of it, he laid down in his bed and was out like a light before he knew it.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The lingering feelings of equal peace and pressure vanished with Momonga from the Colosseum. It took several minutes but eventually someone gave a sigh breaking the spell keeping the guardians in place from their positions. Albedo was the first to rise, but Mare was the first to speak to his sister.   
  
“Aura, t-that was such an intense feeling. It was like… I was being crushed but I was happy about it. Or I wasn’t as scared as I should have been. L-like everything was going to just be all right.”  
  
“I know, when I first met him I thought he was going to be something evil but… I feel so much more relaxed than I have been for a real long time. Like, with Lord Momonga around everything is just going to be okay.”

“When he touched me on the shoulder, I thought I was able t-to do anything. Oh… I am going to h-have to make all those trees though…”  
  
Demiurge got up and brushed some invisible dust from his suit. “Leave it to Lord Momonga to be an enigma as a Supreme Being should. I don’t know what that spell was, it was too effective to be a normal calming or bravery casting. To think it had such an effect on all of us, nothing short of amazing.”  
  
“I CAN SEE IT BEING LORD MOMONGA’S WAY OF SHOWING HOW MUCH HE BELIEVES IN US AND HOW WELL HE CAN READ OUR BODIES.”  
  
“Admitting you were nervous my friend? Doesn’t sound much like you.”  
  
“AND YOU WEREN’T? I AM A WARRIOR, I KNOW HOW TO FIGHT. THIS WAS JUST SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. I CAN’T RECALL A TIME WE EVER HAD A OPEN DISCUSSION WITH ANY OF OUR LORDS AND LADIES.”

“That’s very much true.”  
  
Aura continued. “Honestly the last two hours were so different from the last few years. Lord Momonga came here and trained. With us! He even healed our wounds and gave us glasses of water when we got thirsty!” She pointed to Mare who nodded.

That probably wasn’t the best thing to say. The mood went from relief to jealousy pointed to the elf twins. Albedo who was the worst had a tinge of unstableness to her tone. “You had some… Private time… with our Lord?”

Mare blinked a few times, trembling once he realized how things shifted. However a thought popped into his mind. “So that power we felt, that, that must have been his true power! It was a-amazing!”  
  
Albedo blushed as she looked away. “Of course, it is expected of our creator! The one to stay behind for us was the strongest and most compassionate of them all!” The other guardians went blissful in thought of the wild magic that touched them only moments ago while Mare’s face dropped in relief. Glancing over, he saw Aura give a small sad smile that had “my bad” written all over it.

Although they were all high on life as it were, to pledge themselves to whole heartedly to their master, Sebas was the first to leave. “In order to fulfill my role as his butler and to stay by his side” where his general words. Albedo followed after him, should their lord request her she had to clean herself or perhaps just present herself as she was. Albedo kept going on a bit too long for any of the guardians to be comfortable with. Sebas unfortunately had to put up with it until she decided to go to her own quarters to “freshen up.”

Demiurge felt an odd pang of pity for that man for having to put up with it. She seems rather smitten with their lord in a way he didn’t understand, and usually he was the smart one. If nothing else, this day proved to humble him and urged to sharpen his wit. Speaking about humbling, as he noticed, Shalltear was still kneeling where she was when Momonga left. “Shalltear is something the matter?”  
  
Her form shook her head, but she quickly got up and left not even bothering to face them. She just waved and walked. Maybe it was a little childish of her, but she didn’t want to let them see her eyes which may have gotten a little red from crying. It was the happiest she ever felt. Not to mention the power their lord displayed… might have ruined her underpants a little. But in a good way! Regardless they were wet and she didn’t want them to smell _that_ from her, at least not before it was when she really claimed that skeleton as her own. She swore that was going to happen no matter what now.

Over time, the rest broke up for the night after going through some small talk they never had a chance to indulge in before. Figuring Momonga will call on them once he was ready to put his plans in motion, security was first on the list and could be taken care of easily enough. That left Mare and Aura alone on their level again, the both with refreshed smiles.

No matter what happens now, they felt things were going to be different and better than before.

This they knew.


	3. A breath of fresh air

It was obvious, Gazef Stronoff was not an easy man to find. A man like that would be traveling all over the land either by order or personal conviction to help the citizens of Re-Estize, something that Nigun Grid Luin couldn’t help but admire. Humans in this world were low on the pecking order of power after all, villages needed all the help they could get. Of course there was “the problem” as well.

Humans were always tainted by the enemy.

Nigun and his small army, the Sunlight Scripture of the Slane Theocracy rested under the cover of night. Solders and warrior priests quietly chatted and laughed near small flames of their camps to help ward off the chill of the air and their personal demons. “My daughter is going to be five in a week. With luck our campaign will be done so I’d be able to celebrate this with my family.” One voice spoke up over the rest. It was still quiet enough though, no telling what really lurked in the cover of night.

Another voice spoke up, probably a priest. “Congratulations my dear friend, to be so blessed with a family like yours, I’m sure the gods are smiling on us. Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll see them again soon.”  
  
Other soft congratulations passed around. They had to take the small moments of comfort while they could, while the irony of the priest wasn’t lost. What they had to do to protect their kingdom and do for the greater good of mankind wasn’t something any god would bless but they had to do it all the same. To work in the dark so that the sun had a chance to rise again. That was why the Sunlight Scripture existed.

Nigun listened from a distance with his own direct disciple.

All of his men were a tired sort. Nearly as full of religious zeal as himself which allowed them to carry out their missions without question but still, like him they were only human. Typically, they were sent out to wipe out villages of the impure that existed in the world.  
  
Monsters.  
  
Creatures that easily attacked, tormented, and murdered humans without a thought. Many which treated people like insets or pests to be removed. Lizard, goblin, bat, troll, wolf, undead, anything could sprout like a weed near a human settlement and wipe them off the face of the earth in a shower of blood and meat. It didn’t help that Nigun has seen it happen several times before either.  
  
It was even worse when those creatures were smart. Almost seemed human before they turned violent like a beast. Sometimes their cries of help or begs of mercy would haunt him in the night. His only relief knowing that in doing so saved another human life from being destroyed in turn.  
  
“…and if reports are correct Stronoff should be in the area… sir are you paying attention?”

Nigun was snapped out of his thoughts. “Sorry, sorry Afton. I’ve been finding it hard to focus lately, especially…”  
  
“With this upcoming assignment?”  
  
Nigun didn’t say anything. Afton sighed, scratching underneath his helmet that was standard ware for all the soldiers save for their leader. They had to disguise as the Baharuth Empire least they drew unwanted attention as troops of the Theocracy. Aside from moments like these, his right hand was able to blend in with the rest of the troops. It was standard procedure in case something happened to Nigun to keep a chain of command.“We wiped out countless nests and monster villages. Occasionally we had to kill humans who became too friendly with them too. We are going to have to attack those settlements all the same to draw Stronoff to us but…. I share your concern. It’s never easy attacking your own.”  
  
“It’s more than that. We’re going to be attacking a drifting army. Thats a lot of men that makes it their duty to defend their kingdom against the forces of evil. Enemies or not, that’s going to be a blow to humanity as a whole.”  
  
“Regardless, it’s what our leaders commanded. He falls, then support will follow within the kingdom for the Royalty for allowing him to die and the more easily influenced Nobles take charge. There’s no doubt they’ll continue to fight with themselves, as corrupt as they are. At that point our kingdom will annex theirs. One step closer to a united font.”

Nigun reclined a bit from his spot. It still left a bad taste in his mouth but you don’t question orders as a soldier, especially when it came from the Cardinals. He stretched out a growing kink in his back before he returned his sights to his cohorts. “So what have our intelligence enlightened us with?”  
  
Afton pulled out a weathered map from a back pouch and handed it over to the Captain. “Stronoff is in the area as I said. We’re going to have to make him come to us though, too much land to track him down ourselves. We found several villages that are a ways apart that also appear to have had… dealings with those unclean in one form or another. We should deal with them which would also draw out the captain to us.” A small smile cracked, the only part where his head was visible to Nigun. “Two birds, one rock.”  
  
Nigun looked at the bit of parchment between his fingers. Four locations were circled, nearly a straight line and ending up near a forest. Two were so small that they weren’t even listed as settlements but would be appropriate enough breadcrumbs to lead their target. Hopefully they’ll have enough time to set up their trap.  
  
“We’ll have to split up to cover enough ground. Going from one to the next will take days by itself. We’ll meet up here,” Nigun pointed to a grassy unmarked plain on the map “south of this Carne village so that when we summon our angels nothing will hinder our air superiority. We’ll make it fast and painless. Do the same with the villagers.”

Afton took back the map and slowly got up from his spot, stiff as he was from sitting on the grass, the light armor he still wore not doing any favors. Still, with a quick nod he wandered off to the various company leaders to inform them of their new assignments.

Nigun Grid Luin looked up to the heavens, allowing the starry night sky to take away his thoughts and concerns. After all the vastness of the heavens didn’t hold any concern to what happens on earth.

Yes, it is an absolute shame in the following week or so that more human life needed to end next to the vile for more of the righteous to flourish. However it was because one lesson he took to heart, one that he had to learn the hard way as he lightly touched the scar that ran along his left cheek, that drove this resolve.

You always kill a traitor before the enemy.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It has been roughly three days since Momonga arrived as a permanent resident of the Great Tomb of Nazarick as his avatar and already he learned quite a lot. First; resting was pretty much like you’d get in a game. Do it in your bed, feel refreshed, and fully restocked on magic or at least you didn’t feel as ‘empty’ as before.

Second; the maids need work.

Oh it wasn’t that they were lazy, no no no! They were more dedicated to their task than probably the floor guardians themselves! Probably. There were 41 homunculi maids that all looked and acted perfectly human. Thing was, they were very… excited and enthusiastic on serving their master as Momonga discovered upon waking up from his nearly dreamless state. A soft knock was herd outside of his door. Sniffing some of the sleep away, Momonga merely said “enter” and was almost flooded with servants getting a jump on serving him however they could. Half of the 41 stuffed themselves into his room in an orderly fashion, giving himself a nice shock when he was introduced to the whirlwind of soft chatter as they did EVERYTHING.  
  
“We’ll change your sheets Lord Momonga!”  
  
“Shall we prepare a morning bath Lord Momonga?”  
  
“Allow us to change your clothes Lord Momonga!”  
  
“Lord Momonga, what will your schedule be?”  
  
“Let us accompany you Lord Momonga!”

Not one of them talked over the other or in a loud voice, which was the apparent secret to have Momonga go through the whole ordeal without speaking up once if it wasn’t related to a question.

The other half of the maids were already waiting in the halls, give or take ten who were probably cleaning what they could just in ‘preparation’ of their lord, in a silent curtsy before the rest were finished cleaning - NO, STERILIZING -his quarters and joined them in their bow which lead to the next point.  
  
Third; he was never alone. Once the girls were all lined up, an armed escort arrived and followed him EVERYWHERE. As well as four maids as the rest ran off to do their duties. Momonga didn’t mind people usually. He was an introvert sure, he got burned out being around a lot of people for too long but it never really impacted him too much. After two days of it though, already he found his resolve beginning to break.

Now every step eventually had a bit more speed and force as eventually destinations no longer mattered as Momonga stalked the halls, instead opting to trying to lose their trail in a ‘convenient manner’ but they all seemed to know where he was every waking moment! After the 10th hallway he just suddenly stopped walking, nearly causing his armor wearing guards that looked like demonic knights to clang into each other as well as the maids bringing up the rear. Turning on his heel, he glared at them as best as his skull could do (which was pretty damn well by default) and held up a hand.

“First I wanted to thank you for your dedication,” the small entourage was about to say something but Momonga quickly cut it off, “however there is no need to guard me, especially within these walls!”

The total of six within that group nearly looked at each other but one voiced their own concern. “My lord, it’s not only our privilege and honor, but it’s also a command given to us by lady Albedo to make sure you’re fine in whatever your tasks may be.” Finishing with a bow.

Momonga stood deadpan to what he heard before pinching the space between his eye-sockets. Undead or not, the familiar tingles of a headache were beginning for form. Worst of all was that he respected their commitment there. “So it was her command to nearly have every maid wait in my room for me to awaken?”

“Y-yes my lord. Does it displease you?”  
  
Momonga just watched them as the maids slunk a little lower in their bow. “Displease is stronger than I would use but I do feel it’s completely unnecessary. Is there a particular reason why the maids wait in my room?”

The maids quickly cast glances at each other while the knights were left a little clueless. “We were just excited to truly serve one of our creators. Usually all our work was done when all of the Supreme Beings left for whatever it was you did for the day or longer. Now that you’re the last, lady Albedo was concerned you would need to be as comfortable as you could be so most of us were to greet you for the morning.”

That was the trouble and why Momonga couldn’t really snap at them. They did their job and they really cared. That’s why he was reluctant to keep thinking of them as NPC’s, even if the word came to mind time to time. What else were you supposed to think when the world still acted so much like the game?

Of course, Albedo was beginning to be another matter. As the Guardian Overseer, she’s his right hand on everything in Nazarick so logically she could make those commands if she wanted and the rest of the NP… denizens of Nazarick are obligated to follow. “Listen, just ignore Albedo for the time being about giving me an armed guard and stop waiting outside my room. None of you need to look over me so closely.”  
  
“Yes Lord Momonga.” The disappointment was tinged on their tone of voice but they didn’t question it, and slowly they left him to stand alone in the marble halls. ‘ _You see? A bit of communication and most problems can be solved.’_

Unfortunately he never got back to talking to Albedo about _stopping_ such commands by getting distracted much later that day. Giving up on going anywhere without some form of company, as Narberal eventually stuck to his side once they crossed paths, he retired back to his room trying to swing swords. Practicing in his dressing room, Momonga tried to wield one while he stood before a grand mirror resting upon a soft carpeted purple floor. It was as if every time he moved that weapon with intent, his hand lost its grip entirely.

Momonga huffed as the sword ended up flat on the ground. Mocking him with the fact the simple piece of iron didn’t want to be used. If going back to the idea that some elements of the game followed over, then yes his build as a duel class mage wouldn’t cut it. ‘ _Still this is just infuriating, it DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE! If this is a new reality for me, what laws of physics say I am just completely unable to swing a piece of metal like a bat?! Then again this is coming from the living dead… that can cast spells._ ’ “Narberal, can you hand me those daggers please?” He asked as he bent down to retrieve the sword.

“My lord you shouldn’t exert yourself with such minuscule matters, I would have been able to retrieve the sword for you.” Narberal stated, handing him the handles of two smaller blades resting on a cloth and accepting the larger weapon in return.

Momonga bit his nonexistent tongue. ‘ _At this rate, I’d be doing absolutely nothing if they had a say. Then again maybe thats just how “servants” treat their “masters.”’_ “It’s fine, I don’t mind cleaning up after myself from time to time.”  
  
“Of course.”

Satisfied, Momonga tested the long thin knifes. He gave a few simple jabs. They didn’t fall. Adjusting them so one blade was positioned under his fist, he stared slashing and ducking around an invisible enemy. Surprisingly his robe flowed like water with him not once impeding his crouched movements. This was the nature of his second class.

‘ _Initially, I tried to go a full roleplay with a mage set. However with how many spells and abilities I earned before I was able to completely max out thanks to items like my magic rings, I found I had a few skill points left over. Made more sense to dump them into a secondary class than to put them to things that seem otherwise useless in the original build. So I ended up getting some levels into the thieves ranks. Nothing to be an assassin, but enough that if I ever loose enough MP I could sneak away and be no slouch with a dagger for a sneak attack. It just ended up being a bit of insurance more than anything, although… I do sometimes wish I tossed a bit more into expanding my magic pool.’_

Momonga paused a moment when he finished his test to look at himself in the mirror. The massive skeleton stared back, eyes glowing from pinpricks in the skull with an orange light. With a finger he lightly traced his head in the reflection.

‘ _So much of this just doesn’t make sense. Some rules stay, others changed, a few are gone entirely. After my initial scare, I don’t feel any worse or even that different being in this new body. I apparently don’t have to sleep, I don’t get tired after all, but am fully able to. Everything is working as good as my old body too, except that weird moment I felt that wave of calm. Or that really weird ting of… I guess it can be called ‘excitement’ when Shalltear grabbed me with that little declaration.’  
  
_ He instinctively looked down at his waistline that was still nothing but bone and couldn’t help but feel a tad depressed from it.

‘ _I never even had a chance to use it. Almost 30 years old and not once! Talk about drawing the short stick here.’  
  
_ A small quiet sigh escaped his mouth. Still, if the little vampire and Albedo (if her saying he was the love of her life during their pledge to him meant anything) they wouldn’t mind it. Given that it’s a world of magic, could they find a way?  
  
Well whatever happens, he can at least take comfort that in spite of everything he was still himself.

Back to the matter at hand.

Momonga looked around the room for a moment. For what was a dressing room, there was an obvious lack of clothing anywhere to be seen. Instead piles of weapons from short-swords to staffs and everything in between were piled in places and hung on walls for others. Momonga ever really treated it like a shortstop drop location for things that he didn’t want to drag around in his inventory but didn’t want to dedicate to the treasury for the entire guild either. Unfortunately this meant that he didn’t have anything to disguise himself with.

So this time he fell back to plan b.

“ **Create Greater Item.** ”

Casting one of the few spells he knew by heart, his body shimmered for a moment before being draped under a brand new cloak that was a perfect grey trimmed with olive greens that hid every feature of himself under an inky void. It was at the sacrifice of the daggers in his hand and some other low tier junk being recycled from the room to complete the spell. Fitting his mental intentions of a rouge, he felt appropriately disguised enough to wander a bit for himself. “Narberal I’m going to step outside Nazarick for a moment.” ‘ _I need a moment to breathe and clear my head away from everyone else in a way a well rest can’t do._ ’

“Allow me to summon some guards to accompany you.”  
  
Oh the words he really didn’t want to hear. “No need, I already told some maids and guards that Albedo’s order is no longer of any concern. If word hasn’t spread, then that’s my fault for not being clear.”  
  
“It’s not that, your command was passed between everyone.” Narberal said. “It’s simply if you leave without an escort then you’d have no one to protect you if you get into danger. It’s our sworn duty to act as your shields and perish for you.”

“Enough.” His full attention was turned to the maid, the deepest depths of black under the hood staring right at her. “This is a decision that I made which is of the upmost importance and secrecy. It needs to be done.” He lied right out his ass.  
  
“As you wish my lord.”  
  
She didn’t question that fact, and truth be told it did sting him to lie. They care but it didn’t sit right to also hear that they were too willing to die for him. ‘ _If nothing else at this rate, how could I believe they would ever turn on me?’_ It was still a possible concern, after all he would have to keep as many of the Nazarick citizens as happy as he could manage, but for now he was being smothered in their affections.

Opening another warp tunnel with his clan ring, Momonga went as far outside as it could reach; right to the steps leading out from the first floor. Judging by how dark everything was as he crept up the stair laid hallway, it must have been close to midnight. ‘ _After a while the passing of time really starts to slip away, doesn’t it? It would help if I could see the sun.’_

Momonga took the steps as quietly as he could, back to the wall as he crept forward. He could practically feel the fresh air circulate around him, adding a bit of haste to his movements, at least before seeing the outlines of some monstrous figures ahead. Apparently they decided to lie in wait for him.

…Okay, they weren’t waiting for HIM but after some nonstop forced attention it didn’t feel like it was far off from being the case. Momonga took a moment to suck up his nerves and get it over with. Just another round of ‘you can’t be alone my lord’ or ‘you need a living shield from the threat of your own shadow my lord.’

Wow he got testy when he didn’t get some alone time didn’t he?

Standing at full height, both groups saw each other clearly. ‘ _Fantastic_ , _so who are they?’_

One was a full on classic demon as you would expect. Fangs and covered in scales, flame wings, and a snake headed tail. The next looked like an ample woman caught up in bondage gear with a crows head bound in leather. The final was a young man with horns, full plate armor with its chest bare and open to the world and his own pair of black bat wings. They were the “evil lords” Wrath, Lust, and Greed. They weren’t just any minions, but elite guards, and who they belonged to wasn't stationed on the first floor but the seventh which meant…  
  
Great.  
  
“Demiurge.”

“My Lord!”

Demiurge walked out from between the much larger demons to get a clear look at the cloaked figure of Momonga, before bowing down and his guards following suit. It didn’t stop the three from whispering to each other barely audible, even to their two betters. “What is the masters master doing here?” “Are you sure it’s not just another monster?” “He’s bowing, he doesn’t bow for anyone but him! We’re being quite honored here.”

Momonga swallowed his anxiety, straightened upand walked forward this time calling up as much muster of being a lord as he has been called for the past 72 hours. Slowly, calculated, every step as full as intention as possible, he strode up to their forms looking straight forward. None of the monsters being able to see his face under his hooded appearance helped. Once he got close enough, they all lowered their heads as Demiurge spoke up. His jeweled eyes sparkling behind the perfectly rounded glasses in confusion and anticipation.  
  
“My lord, may I ask why you’re here and why are you dressed as you are?”

Honestly Momonga was a little disappointed his disguise was apparently paper thin. ‘ _It was probably because I called out his name, but I couldn’t help it. I was a bit shocked to see him here.’_

 _  
_“I’m surprised Demiurge, I thought you would know why I was here and why I was wearing this.” Momonga’s even tone of his avatar-turned-self said, not betraying his actual thoughts by lacking the edge it would have had. ‘ _Just let me through and get some fresh air._ ’

“My deepest apologies for being unable to divine your fathomless intentions, Lord Momonga.”

“It’s… fine. Anyways while I’m out here, address me as The Shadow and nothing more.”  
  
“…The Shadow my lord…? I see… So that’s what’s going on.”

Momonga froze rooted to his spot for a moment. What? He watched Demiurge’s face go from confusion to understanding from his kneeling position. Honestly Momonga didn’t know how smart the demon actually was, but if he remembered correctly Demiurge was supposed to be an absolute genius. Someone who could not only see between the lines of plans within plans but give it back twofold. That was why Momonga was wary of him the most to begin with! All Momonga wanted was for them to use that code name incase other monsters came by. Especially if it now happened to be the other floor guardians if they were wandering around.

Especially if at this rate if Albedo decided to come out. He didn’t see much of her but he _felt_ her everywhere.

“I believe I have an idea on your schemes… Lord The Shadow. Really they’re the ones only a ruler of the Great Tomb could take into consideration. I must however insist you should be accompanied with whatever you do from here on out. If you’ll allow it, please let me inconvenience you with having one of us escort you for the time being.”

“…If I must, very well then. I’ll allow one to travel with me.”

Demiurge gave what Momonga his usual demonic grin. “Thank you Lord The Shadow for allowing me this selfish request.”  
  
“Just call me shadow. Please. Anything else just interferes with my intentions.”

“J-just not use your rightful title?! My Lord Momo- The Shadow, it would be one thing if we were on a mission as spies or another if we had to for absolute secrecy, but within the Great Tomb of Nazarick anything less will not show the respect you rightfully deserve! If I may be so bold as to advise you on this, never lesser yourself for any reason!”  
  
His words reverberated in the room. It was the first time Momonga heard him so passionate, and they have met a few times to get updates on their security progress.

“Forgive me for waisting your time with this Lord Mo - The Shadow. Everyone, I’ll be accompanying our master. Wait here for farther orders and tell the others that we’ll be off.”

“Of course master Demiurge.” Replied the three demons.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It was as incredibly refreshing as Momonga could have hoped, his first steps out of the mausoleum into the new world. Even in the dead of night, everything was so bright under the soft blue glow of the full moon and glittering lights of far away stars. It took a magic item to get a sky view of everything, but it was absolutely worth it. Only in the far distance could he see the faintest specks of orange, probably a settlement that has yet to turn to sleep?

It didn’t matter really. This sight of lush forests, vast grasslands, far off mountains, and calm lakes, this cool breeze whipping around him, this air that was cleaner than he ever thought possible, if he could cry Momonga was sure he would have shed a tear from the pure beauty of this unspoiled landscape.  
  
“Oh Blue Planet, I wish you were here to see this.” His old guild-mate would have loved this beyond any doubt, especially hearing from him firsthand how bad Japan was to begin with back in the old world. “This is truly something precious. More precious than any gold, jewel, or spell I can think of or ever wanted.”  
  
“Perhaps” a voice from behind said, “this world exists for that reason. To be a jewel more valuable just for you to hold for yourself Mo- The Shadow.” It was Demiurge in a transformed state to allow him to fly as well. His now frog like head a bit raspier than it was before, leathery wings beating behind effortlessly to hold him up next to his master.

Momonga’s irritation flashed for a second but didn’t allow it to spoil the moment. “You don’t have to call me that anymore Demiurge. It was more for those left behind in the first level. Anyways, its not like I could hoard it to myself even if I wanted to. All this is so much more than me. If nothing else, it would be a claim for my friends in Ainz Ooal Gown, and all of Nazarick. Even more if others truly know the value of all this.”  
  
“…My lord… you have moved me. If it is what you want, I will unleash all of our forces and claim it all for yourself. Nothing would please me more than to help you fulfill your desires Lord Momonga.”

Momonga couldn’t help but chuckle a little, he was sure the demon didn’t hear it with the wind around them from their altitude. “You make it sound like we can just go out and conquer the world. You know, that could be fun or at least interesting to see.” It would fit with how he looked at least. Like some old cartoon villain who ended getting up thwarted by the end of every episode. He barely suppressed a giggle, seeing himself as a undead king but doing things that would be unlike a king or evil as he appeared helping the every day citizen.

It was an odd take he loved that he shared with Tabula Smaragdina. Something about “gap moe” where contradictions between characters and actions were considered ‘cute.’ Momonga found it more funny, like the time when he and his friends played an unrelated game and came across an NPC named “Evil Chancellor Tray-Tor” the most beloved civil servant of the kingdom who was framed for murder of their king. Believe it or not, it held true as he was innocent. The character looked vile but helped run an orphanage where the kids loved him.

Needless to say, it was things like that which helped him pick the Overlord path to begin with, and to follow Touch Me as a role model and friend ever since the knight saved him from other players trying to get an easy kill. Not to mention quite a few of the other guild-members used to joke about taking over the Yggdrasil game world before, just for the hell of it. Not like it would be possible. Logistics alone made sure that held true. Running it afterwards would be quite a nightmare too.

Unfortunately with this bit of reminiscence, Momonga missed that slight flash of realization that waved over Demiurge’s face as if he just got a hint that solved almost everything he was currently curious about. In fact, all Momonga _could_ think about where his old guild mates. Would he ever see them again? Would Herohero be disappointed, or upset, that Momonga would never see him? Peroroncino, who he was going to meet in another game? Bukubukuchagama… a tinge of regret welled up in his chest. After thinking it over the last few nights, how many hints has she given that he didn’t even notice? She was always friendly, and god he was stupid for being stunned in the end without saying a thing before she left.

…

No.

It’s not going to help anyone to linger on that now. He tried to reach out to his friends with a message. He tried to reach the game mods. He even, just to verify, reached out to Sebas to see if the message system (now the message spell) worked and only Sebas responded. It was all in hope that he could reach SOMEONE.

Someone…

Wait, what would the chances be that he was the only player transported? If anyone else was on, how likely would it be that they were transported too? It wasn’t farfetched that the guild-members made a new character too just to try something different. Leveling was incredibly easy in that game as part of abusing it’s MASSIVE tech tree to find the right combo that worked for you, the real power was the item and weapon drops that you could usually only get on guild raids or if you stumbled on a secret power because you happened to pick the right tech path for it.A lot of that information was jealously guarded in their guilds.

Yes, if someone was still out there, they would have heard of Ainz Ooal Gown.

All he would have to do is spread the word and they would come to him.

A shifting of trees from the corner of his eye brought Momonga back to reality. “Is that Earth Surge? Grow Plant and Water Surge as well. That must be Mare. I should have been helping him day one, let’s see how he’s doing.”

“You shouldn’t worry too much my Lord.” Demiurge said as they flew their way down. “Mare recruited several golems and undead to help carve the earth and plant saplings for him to grow later. Aura has been around as well with her animals to help hull sections and decide what to populate the area with as you requested. As a forest, it is starting to come along splendidly I must admit.”

“Still, it’s not easy. Not only is this time consuming but it will leave him wiped of mana before the day’s over with. Not to mention we don’t want to be discovered and infiltrated before we’re finished here. On that note hows our perimeter security? I know for a fact that Albedo took the order for internalized security with… gusto when I approached her .”

“Indeed.” Was that a bit of irritation in Demiurge’s voice? It disappeared as quickly as it came. “We have an early warning net set up roughly three miles in every direction, if any unrecognized life comes in we can track them without them ever knowing.”

“Very good, thank you Demiurge. You may need to discuss more with Albedo if theres any farther ways to improve it, just makes sure she doesn’t go too far overboard.”  
  
“Of course my lord, you humble me with your praise. If I may, what will you be doing next?”  
  
“Since Mare is preforming this beyond what I was expecting, I want to give him a suitable reward and support where I can.”  
  
Demiurge’s frog like face gave a soft smile. “I believe just talking to him would be reward enough, and there should be no need for you to do any of his work.”

The pair landed, gaining the attention from the elf as he finished. “Demiurge!” He greeted running up the short distance between them along the roof of the wall. “A-and Lord Momonga. You look different. Uh oh, why are you here? A-am I in trouble, did I do something wrong?”

“Of course not. I’m here to praise you for what you done. I also need to apologize (N-no you don’t Lord Momonga!) that I haven’t been able to help you. Allow me to do so now with this.”  
  
Under the cloak neither Mare or Demiurge could see Momonga pull out an item from his inventory, but both were surprised once he presented a small ring with a glistening red jewel imprinted with a certain symbol. 

“T-that’s a ring of Ainz Ooal Gown! Only a Supreme Being can use it, I could never accept something so valuable! Not when all I was d-doing was just my duty. We exist to give everything to the Supreme Beings so it’s only natural….”

“Only natural that hard work should be recognized.” Momonga finished, holding the palm of the boy open in his own as he placed the ring into the dark elf’s hand. He felt the shudder run through the smaller monsters body, causing him to go so far to make sure the damage-by-touch spell didn’t reactivate itself by accident. “If you’re worried, then do this. Take it and continue your loyal service to me. It’s the greatest gift you can give back as well.”

The boy flushed and accepted the ring with a small thank you, trembling all the while. Trying it on, it resized to fit his finger.

“Just calm down Mare. Teleportation is difficult and draining at best within the walls of Nazarick, and impossible for outsiders to attempt if they’re never accepted as one of our own. This way, you may freely move about with the ring’s own magic. I wish I could lend you my own power to help with your work, so allow this to be the closest I can do to lend a hand.”

Mare took several shaky breaths before nodding quickly.

“I know that it’s a big responsibility for me to place on your shoulders as well. Just remember that I’m giving it to you because I’m pleased with what you’re doing. If I didn’t believe you were, then everything that ring represents wouldn’t mean much. So wear it proudly.”

“L-lord Momonga, thank you for the amazing gift. I’ll be sure to work extra hard to not disappoint you!”

The cloaked lord gave a hearty chuckle. “I’m sure you won’t. Just don’t forget to rest and eat. Moderation is always key.”  
  
“Yes! T-thank you!”

Momonga smiled warmly to himself seeing the boy regain his excitement and disbelief, eyes practically sparkling at his reward. The three were suitably distracted enough to not hear another approach, later causing Demiurge to swear to himself to always remain aware in the future.

“Ah Lord Momonga! I was looking everywhere for you!”

They all turned to face a woman who was created to be the embodiment of all feminine beauty, but the men were impassive. At the moment, her hair looked a little more frayed than when Momonga first saw her. She was starting to look a little bit tired, something that didn’t fit her design where she was more or less to look like a goddess. Her otherwise white clothes had very small speckles of red on them as well.

“Albedo, it’s good to see you.” Momonga said evenly.

“It took a while to find you my lord, some underlings at the entrance tried to convince me that some unknown servant named ‘Lord the shadow’ came by and refused to explain more when questioned. At least initially.” Pulling a few fingers up to rest on her chin she gave a small smile.

Demiurge was less than pleased. “You do understand they were my bodyguards working under my orders and the orders of our Lord to relay that information? Lord Momonga simply wished to see the progress out here with Mare. Although I do hope this becomes a valuable lesson of tact on their part.”  
  
“I hope so too.” The succubus agreed, not noticing his tone. “The manner of how our lord should be served and protected is the top most importance to all of us.”

Momonga stepped forward. “Albedo.”

His tone was soft but cold. “I am very… displeased with this.”

Whatever Albedo was expecting, it wasn’t this! “Lord Momonga, please forgive me. I… what have I done to displease you?!” She was barely keeping her voice down and even. What could she ever possibly do to make him even remotely upset or disappointed?!

“We don’t attack our own.”

O-oh. With that she realized, a bit too late, that she indeed violate an ingrained law that was buried deep within. How could she ignore that? It’s not like she forgot…

Albedo was in shock, so Momonga took this as a chance to continue. “Every one in Nazarick who has been made by my friends hands is special to me. You included. I don’t believe I have to say this but I will. We don’t. Attack. Our own. If you need to punish them, that’s fine. As the Overseer it is within your rights but I’m concerned you might cross a line and do something far worse, as I have experienced your ‘dedication’ already with the maids and escorts. It went far beyond a simple cleaning and guard detail. Just allow the other floor guardians to handle their underlings. Try and calm yourself and think with a cool head. Then you can regain my favor.”

Shame. That’s all Albedo could feel. Sure she… went farther than she should have. But that was all to make up for her earlier transgression of harming her beloved! Now he’s saying that this was just too much?!

“Albedo.” She looked at him. His cloaked figure holding out a skeletal hand to touch her face. “Don’t think I’m unforgiving.” ‘ _After all it’s my fault you ended up like this.’_ “This is still different for all of us. Take some time to collect yourself, let me help you, and trust my judgement.”

“O…Of course Momonga.”

Albedo’s eyes were wide, blush deep into her cheeks as his finger and thumb held up her chin.  
  
“Excellent. I’m glad we have an understanding now. I believe I’ll retire for the evening. Demiurge, Mare, keep up the good work and I’ll be seeing you again soon.”  
  
With that he left with his own ring (which now seemed to be within range) and made it back to his room.

Mare moved back before Albedo had a chance to look at the gift on his finger so he could return to his work, as Demiurge helped usher the succubus away. Apparently her legs became too weak for the moment to function correctly. Such was the power of a Supreme Being to tame and calm even the most spirited of souls, the demon mused.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Somewhere on the third floor, behind an illusory wall and bolted door, if one was deathly silent they could hear the faint sounds of moaning. It was feminine, and it wasn’t alone. Within that door lies the personal quarters of Shalltear Bloodfallen. The room was large and dark, as something to accommodate a floor guardian should be in the vampire’s own opinion. A wall length mirror and dresser piled with beauty products and bunched up socks rested across from a massive velvet and dark purple circular bed. Above was an equally large overhang, held with chains and decorated with thin veils as to hide the occupants or close up like a lid if they so choose.

As it were, the ones within were the true vampire herself and two of her Vampire Brides. The brides were doing what they always done on nights like these, pleasuring their master as best as they knew how. However tonight, much like the last few nights, Shalltear only felt frustrated. She felt like she SHOULD be enjoying this. That this WAS what she wanted. But now all she felt was hallow. Eventually her last nerve snapped.

“ENOUGH!” Both brides wailed in surprise as they scrambled off the bed, “ I want both of you gone!” No farther explanation was wanted or needed, the brides were secretly relieved to be released. It wasn’t like they didn’t enjoy it themselves but when Shalltear got into a mood, and they saw it coming long before it happened, things tended to get violent. The small vampire glared at the ceiling as she heard the door open and closed.

A moment passed.

Then another.

Finally she lashed out with her arms and legs under the covers screaming in stress. It wasn’t anything more than a temper tantrum but that pent up frustration had to go somewhere. With a few soft pants she crawled out to the edge, but not before tripping herself on the sheets. Not paying attention or having anyone to impress, she didn’t care. Her mind was far enough away already.

Slowly she made her way to the mirror to stare at herself. It wasn’t silver, so she appeared just fine thank you very much! After all silver was a holy metal, that’s what caused the lack of reflection. She touched her face, her damnably young round face and flatty flat flat chest! She loved her creator dearly, but couldn’t he give her something more to work with?

It was all because of Momonga. After he did that… thing to her and the others she just couldn’t get it out of her mind, and with good reason! Despite being undead, she felt urges. Wants. Anger. Happiness. But it was always muted. She THOUGHT it was normal until then, but then she was just drowning in peace. His love. And she wanted every moment to last for eternity. Now everything just felt empty. It was just UNFAIR!

“I need to get my mind off of this.” Shalltear groaned. Slowly she took absentminded steps to her private bath, the only feeling she had now was her hair traveling down her entire backside. Turning on the faucet to the hottest water she could get in her tub that could fit five people…

‘ _Or one Lord Momonga and I…’_

She shook her head. Before she knew it the tub was full of scolding water. Scolding enough for anyone else at least, but a normal bath to help her distract herself a little. Getting in, a tingle crept up her spine.

‘ _My lord in here WITH ME!’_ It was too tempting to her. Slowly Shalltear’s fingers worked themselves down her body as thoughts of her simply being with her beloved were enough to help release some of her pent up tension. It was MORE than enough. Her mind raced more and more. She saw what that banshee Albedo was doing too. She saw how she kept close watch over him! Doing whatever she could to pull favors! Originally Shalltear was going to wait until the time seemed right to strike, but apparently she was going to have to take a far more proactive approach. Finally… THAT WAS IT, the image of her lord absolutely dominating over her! Her loud pants reverberated in the master bathroom.

Yes, screw waiting around. She was going on the offensive and claim what was rightfully hers. Just not right now. For the moment, it would behoove her to change out the water and actually clean up this time.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Momonga wasn’t ready to turn in just yet for the night. Now that he had his taste of the outside world he felt a little rebellious. Simply he wanted to look around the ninth floor now that things were far more alive than before. With his guards, he felt too pressured to do any real sightseeing. However seeing that his new cloak concealed him pretty well and no one else knew of it yet, it just needed a little extra something.

It took several moments before he found what he was looking for in his inventory; an absolute concealment charm fashioned like an ornate leaf brooch. Unlike the magic dampening ring which helped conceal his power, this would make him undetectable from anything but direct sight at the cost of not being able to cast spells. Even in the game where you could see outlines of your allies, with this you could be undetectable. All you could rely on was your own skills so if you got downed, you better hope your friends could find you or otherwise it was tough luck. You couldn’t just take it off either, a cool-down time would pass regardless before anyones magic or abilities were available again. A top class item indeed, in the right hands could be devastating.

Clipping it on, Momonga nearly fell to the ground. ‘ _Damn, that didn’t just suppress my magic, it consumed it all!’_ Well no going back now. Giving himself a new hunched over posture so he would be less recognized, he crept out of his room the moment the coast was clear. Then he was set loose. Not a single golem, maid, demon, ANYONE paid him any attention as he scooted around avoiding as many as he could on his way to the shops. There were plenty of oddball monsters roaming the halls since the order was givento keep an eye for intruders, he honestly didn’t look so out of place so it felt amazing.

On the other hand, there was concern that no one pointed out that a weird looking monster-  
  
“HEY YOU!”  
  
Nevermind.

A small penguin, really a Birdman but that’s what he was, waddled onto his path with his servants in tow.

“I was doing my rounds and saw you scurry about like some kind of lump! I been cleaning these halls since the beginning of the foundation of Nazarick, and I never seen you before! Are you an intruder?! If so, here’s your chance to bow down to me before all our forces leave you a stain that I’ll clean up in a flash!”

This was Eclair Ecleir Eicler. Momonga only remembered him briefly as a joke character that Ankoro Mocchi Mochi made some time back and not much else. Although the penguin didn’t seem like a threat, he sure was loud and already drew a fair amount of attention.

‘ _Oh great. Genius me and my genius idea to seal off my magic to explore my own place!’_

Momonga’s mind raced. Either he was going to bluff, reveal himself, or take a hit or two and THEN reveal himself. Could he even survive being attacked by… 20 monsters at once?!

He steeled himself. Fuck it, if he was going to make a bad decision then he might as well go all in. Otherwise pain and humiliation would be exactly what he deserved to get into this spot to begin with.

“I am no intruder! I am a new creation of the supreme being, the great lord Momonga!” He forced his voice to something higher. After seeing his subordinates make these kind of claims all the time, Momonga knew what to say at least. The trick however was to _believe it._ “You see, I was to seek out the corners where such intruders would hide in away from the public eye and our usual patrol paths. If I wasn’t created by him I wouldn’t know you, the great butler Eclair Ecleir Eicler!”  
  
‘ _After all a bit of flattery couldn’t hurt. I just hope I got this.’_

It was a tense several seconds. Eclair studied him almost looking into his soul. It should have been impossible, his hood hid all features and the items didn’t negate other items!

“Ha!” Eclair squawked, “Yes I can see that is true! In that case you have my full approval to continue your mission.”  
  
“Thank you sir Eclair.”

The moment the tension faded, Momonga bowed as much as his squat allowed and moved on, trying to keep the panic out. ‘ _Ok this was a bad idea, I got to get back to my room before anyone else stops me. No probleeeeeeeeee -thats Demiurge and Albedo down the hall!!’_ As luck still had it, neither looked up as he ducked down another hall as they engaged each other in some discussion. His presence wasn’t felt after all.

Now just dedicating himself to avoid everyone and putting his rogue skills to the test, he took to the maze of halls before finally getting cornered with one door far down what was sure to be a dead end path. Whatever, he took it. He flew through, and quietly closed the door. No one saw or suspected a thing.

“We’re closed.”  
  
Well almost no one saw him. Dropping the act Momonga stood up to his full height and observed his surroundings. It was a small area, a long table lined with barstools filled up most of the room. A large liquor cabinet nearly covered the back wall, and one particular creature had his back to Momonga. He looked a bit like a living greenish mushroom with red eyes along its head, wearing a sharp servers uniform.

“My apologies, I didn’t know.” Momonga said in his normal voice.

The sound of a small glass crashing followed.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Momonga sat on the bar stool, hood off, observing the drink in front of him. The Sous-chef who ran the bar had a quick change of heart to serve a Supreme Being, and offered to make him what was considered his, or rather a, signature drink.

And a small bowl on the side to catch the sips.

Taking the chance to see if he could taste something, Momonga carefully moved the bowl right under the jawline. It was odd feeling to say the least. Then he lifted up the glass. It was the “Nazarick,” complete with different levels of colors and flavors to represent the real thing, all perfectly separated. Carefully he took a sip.

And nearly spat it back out! ‘ _What was that, it was nearly pure alcohol!’_ Although he couldn’t be poisoned, it at least shown that his taste buds still worked (praise whoever to allowed him to keep them). Unable to stop his sputtering, Sous-chef or perhaps just Sous, took the glass away.

“That bad sir?”  
  
“It just” *ahem* “wasn’t for me. I do appreciate it all the same, you proved to me that I can taste.”

Sous-chef said nothing for a moment, thinking over what he was going to say carefully. “I should thank you too for your honesty my lord. Frankly I’m disappointed with it too, but my few regulars always order it because of the name. They claim to love it. I thought I might have just wrong tastes.”

“Ah, well, everyone has their own preference. If you want to make something different though, I am a fan of sweeter things.”

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

This next glass was far better! Momonga also learned that to really taste it on his tongue, he had to lift the bowl just right to be leveled to where the tongue would be.

The contents were a solid semi transparent ember, but had more of a wine cooler taste. Still, works for him! Sous-chef seemed to be proud, finally serving something different that would please his hardest cliental, compared to the others.

Momonga lowered everything with a content sigh. “Very delightful. I also didn’t know that we had a bar here in Nazarick. It’s a bit hidden isn’t it?”

“Many don’t know, and a part of me does like to keep it as such if I could my lord. Those I serve are my usual customers and I can count them on one ‘hand.’” The mushroom held up three tentacles to prove his point. “But I like it that way. Quiet reflection and being able to unwind.”

Momonga looked at him wistfully. “Ever since I started staying here full time in Nazarick, I felt like I had no space for myself. That… makes this place a much more treasured secret. I’ll try not to bring any unwanted attention.”

“It’s fine sir. It really is. I do have a few small tricks to make it completely unnoticeable and besides you and any floor guardian I can shoo away any unwanted eyes that come this way.Your continued patronage will be most valued.”  
  
 _‘Patronage implies you want money which you turned down, but I won’t complain. Everyone needs their hobbies. Guess that’s what helps make this setting so relaxing.’_ Pulling his hood back up he was about to wish his host a good night before the door clicked open.

“Ah, Eclair! How good to see you. How can I serve?”  
  
“Just the ushe. Hey it's the guy that was wandering out in the halls. It’s nice to know you got some taste at least.”  
  
Momonga didn’t want to turn to him, even if the bird couldn’t see his face. With a slight nod, he was about to get up until Eclair spoke again. “Piki, you’re moving up in the world with new clients. Although when I become ruler of Nazarick, I’ll make sure everyone has a chance to at least taste your amazing creations.”

Things got deathly silent in that bar.

“Could you repeat that?” Momonga said, very softly. Soft enough his real voice didn’t carry through with it.

“New guy must have a hearing problem,” chuckled Eclair, not noticing the sign Sous-Chef was giving him to STOP. “I said when I rule Nazarick everyone will try-“  
  
“When YOU rule Nazarick?” Momonga lowered his hood and stood tall above the Birdman, the fiery pinpricks in his skull glaring daggers to the small creature. While Momonga knew of Eclair he didn’t know of the backstory set for the fellow being the joke (instead of the fact it was a penguin butler), but that no longer mattered.

The hope Momonga had that the NPC’s wouldn’t turn on him shattered. Without another word, the overlord shoved the hood back over his head and stormed out, leaving a terrified Eclair and concerned Sous-chef behind.

“Well my friend,” the bartender muttered, “it was nice knowing you.”

——

A.N.:  
  
Ushe is the closest thing I could find to “usual.”

If you wanted to know, I’ll be following the anime mostly as reference, the light novels as some supplementary, and the manga not at all.

As I said, monthly updates.

If you like this so far, please leave a comment. It helps push this story forward. Might even give me more to consider as time goes on. Well I hope you enjoyed this bit, that you had a great Christmas, and a happy new year!


	4. Treats and Temptation

Take it all

Chapter 4 

It was deathly quiet among the 9th level. It has been a day since “the incident” and every NPC saw their leader in a variety of moods since then. It seems he spent the time looking for solutions to some alien question, exposing a silently furious demeanor to his character. It wasn't as if Momonga was never angry in the game world, but then it was always directed to an outside force. Someone that many of the Supreme Beings would place their righteous fury towards before they were utterly crushed underneath their might, no doubt. 

This was different. 

There was no real interaction with the outside world, or at least yet, meaning it had to have happened within the Great Tomb of Nazarick. One of their own had to have upset their great master. This was unforgivable. However until someone came forth, it was silent speculation and none wanted to blame the other or be the reason for said blame.

All the same most of the fear and disgust felt was driven inwards. 

Albedo paced in the throne room, triple checking her given commands and reading reports given from all the underlings. The quiet tapping of her feet on the stone that echoed mismatched her rapid pulse. She’d read a bit then her mind would drift off…

‘It was all because of me wasn’t it?’ This worry kept popping back into her mind. It was mostly thanks to that discussion with Demiurge. 

Albedo could remember walking down the halls with him by her side. Things were silent for the most part then. She fluctuated between happiness of being touched by her lord, and depression for failing his expectations so throughly. 

“You should calm down.” The demon spared her a glance as they made their way through the 9th floor to the Throne Room. Finishing touches needed to be given to the security detail. “You understand that whenever Lord Momonga says something, it’s covered in deeper layers of meaning than you expect. We all understand that with every failure you have you want to correct it. I’m no different. However no matter how you take his words the meaning is clear, you should curb the enthusiasm. Anything more and you’ll keep going overboard and displease him farther.”

Displease him more.

Going overboard. 

Caring too much. 

Those words stuck to the front of her mind and brought her back to the present.

‘It was because I was becoming far too controlling wasn’t I? I overstepped my boundaries! HE’LL NEVER LOVE-.’ Thus the line of thought was shut down as Albedo shook her head. 

She was going around in circles now! This was exactly what Demiurge and her Lord said not to do and she was failing them and herself again. 

‘No, must not think like that. Calm down. Lord Momonga never said that this anger was directed to me; It could be anyone else too. And IF I FIND THEM….’

Yes, that way of thinking was much better; far more productive. 

Speaking about productive, it looks like all the security measures were in place now. A last quick sweep check and Albedo felt satisfied. It was as tight as Momonga commanded, not as much as Albedo wanted but she sat down in front of a mirror after her short walk with Demiurge and really drilled down to follow Lord Momonga’s orders to the letter, including a calm head….

Oh.

‘Ok, when I find them, I will present them to Lord Momonga for proper judgement. I will definitely NOT preemptively skin them alive, keep them in the ice prison, and beat them within an inch of their life every afternoon for as long as they exist.’ Yes, much better. Momonga was going to praise her for sure, both for keeping to her orders for proper security and remembering her self improvement. So should she look for this person of interest that upset her dear lord?

Unless if she wanted to tear apart nazarick brick by brick to do it, probably the best if she didn’t. 

…

Maybe. 

One of the things that helped keep her mind calm was to take a short break. Momonga did say before he wanted the entire staff within the Tomb to take regular breaks as to not overwork themselves. Oh to be so thoughtful and caring….

Albedo summoned a maid waiting outside the Throne Room to take her files away to be stored, she herself skipped down the hall making her way to the floor above. Her room was there. Her very private room. Not paying attention to the other mass of Nazarick denizens on the way, her present cheer to her “self imposed reward” was at odds to everyone else. Gloom and anxiety painted faces reflected the mood of their lord but a few lightened up seeing Albedo pass. If someone like her, so dedicated in her loyalty and devotion, could find peace in these trying times things must be looking better. 

Albedo turned down a corner to a seemingly deserted hallway. It was located next to a stairway that rarely saw any traffic. Okay, not the best place for a “private room” but there wasn’t a whole lot of private anything in Nazarick if anyone wanted to take a close enough look. She took her time, going over three locks carefully on the door. It was mostly to keep her ears open… like for right now.

Soft taps echoed down the stairs. Someone was coming. ‘Perhaps it would be better to wait and see who comes, given how on edge everyone is. Hehehe, just look at me being so level headed~! Momonga my love, I’m bettering myself for you every moment!’

Eventually a small form made herself known, the sight of a large purple dress and silver hair slowly making her way down. Shalltear was glancing left and right. Was she making sure she wasn’t being watched? And why does she smell… like the kitchens?

The vampire nearly jumped a foot when Albedo called out to her. “Nice to see you lurking about. Why are you not on your floor? Is there a problem Shalltear?” Concern leaked a little into her voice. “I usually don’t see you outside of there, you always take your duties seriously like that. Demiurge didn’t take over the first level with his security right? ….I didn’t either have I?”

The smaller girl slowly shook her head. Albedo noticed that Shalltear licked her lips a little in concentration but didn’t think anything of it. After a short pause she finally responded. “No, nothing like that Albedo. I was just making my way through. I heard our Lord was feeling… upset, so I was trying something to hopefully cheer him up.” 

It was at this point Albedo noticed that Shalltear was holding her hands behind herself. “Shalltear, what exactly are you hiding?”

“I, uh, well…. This.” Slowly she pulled around her a small silver tray, topped with some velvet looking cookies. 

“…Food? My dear, you know as well as I do that Lord Momonga doesn’t eat. He’s an undead like you.”

“I KNOW THAT. However I can’t just go running outside and slay a thousand men looking for something even remotely worthwhile in an attempt to please him. I don’t even have many skills outside of combat but at the very least I know how to bake a few things for all the good it does.”

“Well it’s an interesting thing to try. May I?”Sighing in defeat, Shalltear lifted the tray a little higher in offering to the succubus who took one. Albedo’s eyes lit up for just a moment.

“Huh, it’s actually quite good. Where DID you learn to cook?”“I guess I can say that while it’s well known Peroroncino had many tastes on many things, one of those was what he called a ‘Stepford Wife,’ whatever that is. Some of that information includes how to cook. I had to ask for some things from the Chef and Sous-Chef a while ago, and the Sous-Chef personally recommended the recipe. I couldn’t prepare there however, they kept hovering around as if I was going to bash in an oven to get it to start! The absolute nerve! So I had to take everything near the seventh floor and had to carefully place a baking sheet I took with me to get it the right temperature. I’m just glad I’m a vampire, otherwise I’d be soaked in my own sweat right now.”

A thoughtful face crossed Albedo while she studied Shalltear. “Now that I think about it, you should present these to Lord Momonga.”

“Why, did something change in the last minute to make you reconsider that this is a good idea?”“No, I still think your original idea is absolutely doomed to failure. I mean, if I made something for Lord Momonga I’m sure it would be different. I think the message is more important, which is why I want to support you here. He has shown appreciation for when we go above and beyond for him… within reason. Perhaps this showing of thoughtfulness will help him out of his mood, enough for him to elaborate to us what the problem may be.”“Possibly. So what about you, whats with the door?”Albedo froze with a small smile on her face. Taking the chance, Shalltear went up and twisted the nob of the now unlocked door. “SHALLTEAR WAIT-!”  
“Oh my lord Momonga. Albedo… what is this?”

“Its my… h-harem room.”“Wow and I thought I was kinky.” Shalltear pushed her way in despite Albedo’s halfhearted attempts to keep her out. “How long have you been working on this? I see that theres a lot of raw materials lying around but you have several dolls of Momonga here. MY WORD IS THAT A BODY PILLOW-MMPH!”“Don’t shout it out, don’t shout it out!” 

It took several moments but the vampire regained from her shock from being grabbed and muffled from behind before she double over laughing and breaking from the grip, her tray of sweets still perfectly balanced. “This is just amazing. Oh Momonga is going to LOVE this.”“N-no! He can’t know about this! Ever!”  
“Ha. Whew. Okay, hehe, okay. I promise I won’t tell. With conditions.”

Shalltear failed, or possibly just ignored, a growing bloodlust from behind as she continued to survey the room. “Are you trying to blackmail me Shalltear?” It was as quiet as a murmur but it rolled like thunder. 

“Oh no darling, no trying is involved here. This is the ‘straight up’ kind of blackmail.”

Albedo stood there glaring at the vampire who had the most despicable grin stretched across her face before slumping to the ground. So this is what it’s like to be vastly out maneuvered because of chance. Albedo bowed to her (momentary) better. “What is it that you want?”

The smug grin eventually fell off of the girl. “I want you to not hinder me when I try to woo Lord Momonga.”

“AS IF I WOULD JUST HAND HIM OVER TO YOU-!”“ALBEDO! I’m not asking for you to give up or to even help me. Anything worth having is worth working for and it would be no fun if I didn’t compete with you. …But as it is, I’m always stuck on the first three levels and I can’t see that ever changing. It’s my duty so I can’t complain, but I never get to see Lord Momonga either. At the very least, I would like to see him for a full day once a week and not be stopped in my attempts. It’s not as if someone like him would stop at one wife either, not for a supreme being. But to be his official wife, it’s a goal I can aim for.”“…I guess that’s not too much to ask for. I suppose once a week we may switch posts… with the exception of an emergency. If you breathe a word of this room to anyone though, I’ll make sure you’re not even considered to be Lord Momonga’s footstool let alone his harem when I become his official wife.”

“Then it’s agreed.” The air seems to have gotten a bit brighter now the two found an arrangement they could agree upon. “Although you still haven’t answered my question. When did you start making all these? The quality is amazing.”

With a laugh, Albedo rubbed the back of her head a little. “It started on the night when Lord Momonga decided to stay here with us. I was a bit excited and most of the upkeep when the security alert went out was self sustaining, I found myself with a bit of time to work on a few things. As it turns out, I’m rather good with a needle and thread. Ah… Let’s’ go wait in the Throne Room and forget that this room exists. I’m sure Lord Momonga will be back there sooner or later so you may present your gift to him.”

With that, Albedo gracefully got up with a single twirl and headed for the door. While her back was turned, Shalltear grabbed a very small plush of their lord that was laying nearby and hid it within her padded chest. For her benefits and flaws, Albedo wasn’t going to notice one small plush missing out of dozens and dozens. This wasn’t even for blackmail. 

It just looked so cute like the real thing, perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to keep it around her own room for a bit. 

“Are you coming Shalltear?”“I’m coming, I’m coming. My dress just got caught in something.”

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Momonga worked his way past winding halls while filled with a silent relief that not a single Nazarick npc decided to stop him or followed to guard. It made putting a plan in motion far easier without having to deal with second guesses or sharp eyes behind his back. 

Opening a set of large and polished dark wood doors, the overlord breathed in deep to the sent of old books and parchment. The library within the tomb was in a sense “lightly used.” Momonga’s friends would use it to upload old stories they might have found or even written, or more likely hide their own secrets as well as secrets of the game they played within walls of junk. 

That’s what he did at least. 

Impossibly high walls were stacked with books of every kind emitting a rich dark brown color to contrast mossy green carpeted floors that were as lush and soft as the carpet in the Throne Room. Several pillars of books littered the floors, all intentionally crafted to add to the mystic feel of the place. After all why shouldn’t it? A library was the spellcasters best friend, with all its collected knowledge and raw materials set aside for those who knew how to use them. Momonga stifled any irritation now as he headed deep into the labyrinth of books. ‘It’s time to present myself as they expect me to be.’ 

Aisles and aisles were passed with very few checkpoints of security in between in the form of some wandering wraith that also doubled as the librarians. If someone made it so far, they weren’t going to be beaten by more minions or maids anyways. Either the hidden knowledge was going to be a raiders prize with the additional challenge of shifting through (what felt like) miles of junk or burn it all down thus keeping the clan’s secrets. After a moment of consideration, Momonga flagged a wraith over with a wave. 

The specter floated forward, no feet touching the ground that could be seen. The torn bed sheet like rags it worn hid whatever thin frail body underneath, except stick like arms that were slumped to the sides and under a hood. A jaw wide and broken completed the image of a frightening hostile wandering spirit. 

“My lord~” it hissed without ever twitching its mouth. Like every npc, it’s voice was filled with adoration. 

“I’m going to need the artificer.” Momonga said. “I have a job that will require some high production. Fetch him at once to meet me in the back office for some privacy.” The wraith was off in a burst of speed. Honestly it was nice to have low level minions around; they were not conversationalists. 

Momonga made his way a little a little farther back to where said office was. It was really just a small side room with several chairs and a table. Nothing terribly impressive but the guild needed a room to store plans and drafts in before anything was cycled out to the library. It was small, closed off, and perfect. Setting in with a sigh, Momonga hoped this didn’t turn out to be too much of a hassle or cause an alarm. It would throw this idea out the window if word spread. In any case the artificer didn’t keep his lord waiting for too long. 

The door opened with a creak to allow in a new wraith. Now Momonga watched it carefully. It’s rags were more complete, yet there was nothing human underneath it. It was practically a mass of withering tentacles in the vague shape of a human. 

And it spoke. 

It spoke in a... unremarkably normal, tired, flat, nasally, borderline monotone voice. “Ah! I’m sorry to keep you waiting my lord.”

“N-not at all.” Any emotion Momonga felt was now just shock and confusion. Was this intentional? Was this npc really made to sound so... bored?! He quickly coughed that thought away from his mind. “Let me get down to business. I came to you with a spell crafting project that I’m going to need to be replicated two dozen times at least.”

“Oh you honor me my lord.” The artificer droned on, but the bow given was full of emotion. “If I had clear eyes to see you with I’m sure they would be misty with the amount of value you place on me. Now what can I help you with?”

This was the real meat of the reason Momonga sought this character out. The artificer was one of several NPC’s that ran shop roles in the game world within Nazarick. Spell crafting was obviously part of the game anyone who could invest the skill points for could do but on a larger scale it was better to outsource such work to them. Otherwise the cost per spell for someone not well versed in imbuing items with complicated layers of improvements could make everything cost four times as much with a heavy penalty of levels being burned up in the process. 

“I’m looking into what can be called an obedience collar. Something strong enough that can’t be broken by any means within any of the guardians power.”

“Oooooh, that strong huh? It’s going to take a lot of resources to pull one off, so I hope you have what you need set aside to do this. Now what exactly is going into this obedience collar?”

Momonga tilted his head down in momentary thought, his skeletal expression swallowed by the cast shadows of the dim lights of the room. “Shock and potential death for prolonged disobedience, a curse to bond with its host, and a few other ideas as we get to it. Have it read intentions in a sense. Would it be doable to shove 5 spells or more into such an item?”

“Of course.” It said, mimicking a lazy scratch to the back of the neck. “The more spells you pile on though the bigger it’ll have to be to contain them and not give out any unintended backlash, so keep that in mind.”

“That won’t be a problem. Allow me to lend you my power in this process.” That way I can keep an eye on things. Momonga thought. “The sooner we get a set going, the better.”

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The first two cursed items took some time to produce, but they set as templates for the rest to be cloned. Cloning magic ended up making the whole process cheaper at the cost of taking much, much longer. 

The plus?Once the process started they were tamper proof, and it was all so expensive that if they stopped the non-refundable process it would be completely obvious. Okay so it wasn’t a complete plus. All of Momonga’s low level items were destroyed and he spent a good chunk of his money to do it. 

None of the guilds treasury of course, that would’t have been a smart decision. 

It just left the guild master feeling a bit twitchy knowing that he had to start collecting everything he found on the field again. Grinding is and always has been a pain. 

At least it wasn’t anything TOO valuable to pay into the initial cost, so now that left some time to kill. 

So Momonga went to the colosseum to train again, this time against the elf twins. 

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?”“Is it so odd that I wish to test all of our skills to see where things are?”

Although he was wary of them at first like any of the other guardians, Momonga found himself considerably more at ease in their company than any of the other NPC’s. Aura’s wildly waving arms trying to buy time to rephrase some of her wording. Mare just bashfully nodded with whatever she said. This is why; how can you feel threatened by a couple of kids?…Shalltear doesn’t count. 

Not that Momonga knew what was going through their minds either.

“I-It’s not that at all my lord! I’m sure you have plenty more to do than just mess around with us!” Aura smiled but felt it falter way too much. ‘It’s not like I wouldn’t love to train with him but I don’t want to do something that would accidentally make him hate me. What if I was the one to mess something up and Momonga was trying too punish me? I mean, if I did I’d deserve it and nothing would stop him otherwise but if I wasn’t-! This is all making me so confused!’ “P-plus I’m sure you can find better company in the other guardians.”

Momonga chucked. ‘He chuckled?! What does that mean?’

“Aura, Mare, I find myself most relaxed while around you. Now come at me.”Aura looked back at Mare for a moment then back at Momonga before she broke into action. Aura flipped and dashed, doing her hand to hand combat or switching to a whip for ranged moves while Mare did a lot of defensive buffs on his sister. While the initial ferocity took the overlord off guard, he quickly got into step between spell casting and dodging. 

Left. Right. Jump back. Roll left. It was a lot more movement than what was expected for a typical spell caster. Then… It became painfully obvious after twenty minutes the two were holding back. A whip strike came. It should have struck Momonga in the back. A wrong timed dodge because of Mare’s few offensive spells pushed him into the way of her strike. With a cry of surprise Aura moved it just out of the way to strike the ground instead. That’s when it finally popped into their leaders head. 

They’re trying their best to not hurt me.

…While it’s not helping much for practice, it’s probably a good thing. If it was Cocytus, Sebas, or Demiurge, they would be going full force because “warriors code” or finding some so called deep meaning behind it. Albedo would just be a wild card. Shalltear… if I were to guess she would be more than happy to be hit than spar. 

Aura blinked a few times herself. ‘I… I didn’t make that too obvious did I?’ Pulling her arm back, she released another strike, fully expecting her master to dodge it too. 

Any second. Any second… 

He’s not dodging!!!“I think this is enough.” Momonga grabbed the whip mid arch when it got close and yanked it. Arua, unable to register what happened and having an iron grip on her weapon, was flung forward into the air. All she could do was flail, unable to get her bearings until she landed. It just happened to be in a pair of boney arms. 

It took a moment for the world to stop spinning, but when it did her face glowed red with realization. 

“Well Aura, Mare, I think we should call it a day. I believe enough time has passed for my little side project to have finished, so i must check up on it.”  
Gently (O-oh so gently!) Momonga set down the blushing elf and waved his hand, the now familiar gate opening. “Aura, Mare, thank you for the fight. It was refreshing.” He said with a tinge of happiness, looking at the two from an angle that nearly gave the appearance of a grin on his bone face before vanishing through the portal. 

Aura stood around for a moment, legs feeling a bit weak from a moment ago. ‘He held me! Momonga held me! He-he put me down as if I was so fragile! A-Ahha-!’“Aura are… you o-okay? Did Lord Momonga use his draining touch again?”

Mare stepped forward with concern in his eyes… although it felt like something else was there in that expression. Aura was too busy just trying to keep herself stable. “Y-yup! Never better!”

“....I-if you say so.... I wonder if Lord Momonga realized t-that we were trying n-not to hurt him.”

After a few deep breath’s Aura faced her brother, her face now much more normal yet still a shade pinker around the ears. “I think he knew. I also think it doesn’t really matter. Out of the few times I saw him, especially from yesterday, he’s much happier. While it may be our job and life to protect Nazarick and our Lord... just to know we were able to make him happy at all... it’s a bit much isn’t it?”

Mare nodded, slight smile tugging at his lips at the thought of it. 

Unfortunately though now that Momonga left, something crept back into their daily existence. 

Routine. 

Mare took a long walk back to his semi-private space within the colosseum to take a moment to read. He had a lot of time to do it, thankfully the library was packed with so many countless stories to help fill the time between...

...well not much other than training and the potential for raids. If nothing else though the last few days have been heavily shaking up what he usually knew. So while he sulked off to read more about the tale about a wood doll who wanted to be a boy, Aura had her own duty to attend to. 

“FENN! QUADRACILE! Time to eat!”

While most of every high level Nazarick citizen doesn’t need to eat, that was the thanks to magic items. Hunger was usually a negative status effect, as you would expect leaving you weak and could potentially damage you like poison. Being a chef was a legitimate class that was crucial to any guild. So like any “unimportant” character, they had to be taken care of. 

As she released some game that they kept alive for her pets to hunt, her mind kept fluttering back to Momonga. Honestly it was nice. Nice to know that Mare and herself could brighten up his day, even a little bit. Heck as far as she knows, none of the other guardians could claim THAT feat. Not even Albedo, and she dedicates every waking moment for Momonga. It made her feel… special.   
“SKREEEEE-!”

“Wha…? OOF!”  
The pig like prey dashed by Aura in her distraction, her large wolf and lizard pets following shortly after. As well trained as they were, once they got into the hunt they got some real tunnel vision as they trampled over her. Note to self: don’t get so distracted fantasizing spending time with your leader that you’d loose sight of important things going on around you. 

With that, somewhere out there without even having her name called Albedo sneezed.

\---

A/N:This is a short chapter. Between long hours at my irl job, a side job at home doing professional art, some death in the family, and just lack of writing creativity I found this chapter to be rather hard to work on. Hopefully the next will be better but I’ll need to revisit the books and frankly get some downtime. It’ll probably be a while before the next one gets started.


End file.
